NEW BRITAIN, Conn. — A hot second-half performance from long range helped lead Central Connecticut past the Hartford men's basketball team, 75-65, inside Detrick Gymnasium on Saturday. The Blue Devils converted on 7-of-9 of their three-point attempts to build on a two-point halftime lead and come away with the win.
CCSU, which snapped a three-game skid, improved to 3-9 with the win. Junior
Moses Flowers led all scorers with a season-best 24 points for Hartford, which dips to 1-10 on the season.
CCSU 75, HARTFORD 65
After trailing for the beginning part of the game, the Hawks used a 13-4 rally to erase a 15-13 deficit and push ahead by a 26-19 count with 5:08 to go in the half. After the teams traded threes, Flowers gave Hartford its largest lead of the game — a nine-point spread at 31-22 — with 3:33 left in the stanza.
But the Hawks ran out of steam before halftime. Central Connecticut, which held Hartford without a field goal and to just one free throw for the remainder of the half, knocked down a pair of threes and went 6-of-7 from the charity stripe to go into the break leading 34-32.
The Blue Devils came out of the break with just as much momentum. Nigel Scantlebury, who finished with 18 points on the night, scored eight of Central Connecticut's first 10 points out of the half to help his team open up a 44-37 advantage with 16:37 left. The Hawks remained within arm's reach and pulled within two (49-47) at the 11:30 mark, but a 10-2 run fueled by a pair of three-pointers would push Central Connecticut's lead back into double digits with just over six minutes left.
Down the stretch, the Blue Devils held off any attempt of a Hawks' comeback bid from the charity stripe, going 7-of-9 over the game's final 5:26.
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES
- The Hawks were playing without starting forward Hunter Marks, who has missed the past two games with illness
- Flowers recorded his sixth-straight game in double figures, and accomplished the feat for the ninth time this season
- The junior came one rebound shy of recording his third double-double of the season
- Williams extended his double-figure scoring streak to a team-best nine games
- With eligibility remaining, graduate student Traci Carter was cleared to make his return in Hartford uniform this morning
- He scored four points and added four assists in 25 minutes
- CCSU knocked down 10 three-pointers behind a 52.6 effort
- The Blue Devils took advantage of the free-throw line, going 19-of-27, recording more makes than Hartford had attempts (13-of-17)
- Going 4-for-4 from long range, Ian Krishnan led four CCSU players in double figures with 21 points
- The Blue Devils snapped a two-game skid against the Hawks and improved to 12-11 in the all-time series with the win
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford remains on the road to take on Sacred Heart on Wednesday (Dec. 22) for its third straight game against an NEC opponent. Tipoff from the William H. Pitt Center is set for 11 a.m.
For an inside look at Hartford men's basketball, stay with HartfordHawks.com for updates and follow the team on social media:
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