WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — A string of three-pointers in the second half helped propel the Hartford men's basketball team past visiting Fairfield, 67-54, inside Reich Family Pavilion on Monday afternoon. Grad student Traci Carter scored a team-high 16 points for the Hawks (3-2), who picked up their third straight victory after beating the Stags (0-4) for the second time this season. 
 
Fairfield's Jesus Cruz led all scorers with 16 points.
 
PHOTO GALLERY

HARTFORD 67, FAIRFIELD 54
After a hot start put the Stags up by seven at 19-12 with 9:33 left, the Hawks surged ahead with a 15-4 run to take their first lead of the game (27-23) with 1:22 to go. Five different players contributed to that stretch, led by five points from sophomore Moses Flowers. But Fairfield, which shot 52 percent (14-of-27) in the opening half, handed out the final blow of the stanza as a 7-0 run capped by a three at the buzzer by Cruz put the Stags in front at the break, 30-27.
 
Fairfield continued to hold on to its lead after halftime, until 10-unanswered points over a 3:25 stretch Hartford points quickly turned a five-point deficit into a 43-38 Hawks' advantage with 9:00 to go. Hartford continued to rally as three straight makes from long range from junior Michael Dunne, junior D.J. Mitchell and Carter pushed the lead into double figures (59-47) with 3:09 remaining. A 6-for-8 effort from the free-throw line down the final stretch would ice the game and seal the win for the Hawks.
 


NEWS & NOTES

• Three Hawks scored in double figures, as Flowers (13 points) and Marks (10) joined Carter
• Marks grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to finish with his third career double-double
• Recording four steals, Carter added six assists, the most for a Hawk this season
• Fairfield had twice as many turnovers as Hartford, as the Hawks finished with a season-low six and the Stags committed 12
• Defeating Fairfield for the third straight game, and the second time this season, Hartford improves to 6-4 in the all-time series
• Sophomore Cameron McCravy scored his first points in a Hartford uniform in the victory

 
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford's next scheduled games pits the Hawks against Maine inside Reich Family Pavilion for the start of America East play on Saturday, Dec. 19, and Sunday, Dec. 20. Game times for the weekend home series are still TBD.