WEST HARTFORD, Conn. – Two days after surrendering 100 points at Boston University it was the Hartford men's basketball team's turn to challenge the century mark, downing Houghton, 98-32, inside Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion Saturday afternoon. The Hawks (2-3) starters rested for nearly the entire second half and all 15 of Hartford's players saw action in the game, with a season-best four finishing in double figures. The 66-point margin of victory was the largest in Hartford men's basketball's history, eclipsing the Hawks' 104-47 (57 points) win against Pratt on Feb. 2, 1985.
 
Box Score
 
HARTFORD 98, HOUGHTON 32
 
Junior Briggs McClain went 8-for-11 (73 percent) from the floor, including 4-of-5 (80 percent) from the 3-point line, to lead the Hawks with 20 points. Sophomore Kurtis Henderson (15 points) and freshman Braxton Jones (10) both reached double digits, while graduate Michael Dunne passed his way to his first career double-double, notching 10 points and 10 assists.
 
The Hawks had a chance at setting a new Chase Arena scoring record, before interim head coach Tom Devitt pumped the brakes in the second half. Hartford led 96-30 with two and a half minutes remaining on the clock, but the Hawks attempted just three shots the rest of the way. The all-time scoring record for the Hawks at home is 101, set against Concordia on Jan. 21, 2003.
 
Houghton freshman Esafe Taufahema entered Saturday averaging 18.5 points per game and finished with 10 points to lead the Highlanders. Junior forward Koen Rolleman netted a career-best 9 points while junior Jujuan Preaster, fresh off a career-best 32-point performance at Alfred State, was held to 2 points.
 
 
INSIDE THE BOX & NOTES

• Hartford had multiple lengthy scoring runs against the Highlanders, running off a 20-0 rally in over a 9-minute stretch in the second half, a 15-0 streak that spanned halftime and a 19-0 spree in the game's opening minutes
• The Hawks 40 field goals tied the all-time home record, set against Concordia on Jan. 21, 2003
• Hartford finished with 28 assists, also tying the program's all-time mark, set against Pratt on Feb. 2, 1985
• Houghton's 32 points were the second fewest allowed in Hartford men's basketball history, trailing only the team's defensive gem in a 57-28 victory against Nasson during the 1963-64 season
• Hartford set new season bests in field goals made (40), field goal percentage (.563), 3-pointers made (13), 3-point percentage (.500), rebounds (49), assists (28), steals (15), fewest fouls (8) and fewest turnovers (7)
• Thomas Webley came off the bench and logged a season-high 9 points on 4-of-7 shooting
• Webley was one of six Hawks to finish with at least four field goals (joining McClain, Henderson, Jones, Dunne, and Matt Hobbs) all of whom shot .500-or-better from the floor
• Graduates Jared Kimbrough (3-for-4, 6 points) and Pano Pavlidis (3-for-3, 7 points) also shot better than 50 percent for the game
• Kimbrough tied his season best with 7 rebounds, while Pavlidis added 6 boards to maintain his team lead on the season (35)
• Junior Isaiah Rice knocked down a 3-pointer for his first career bucket and freshman Davon Ellison converted both of his free throw attempts for his first points as a Hawk

 
NEXT ON TAP
Hartford will host FDU-Florham on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. It will be the first matchup between the Hawks and Devils. FDU-Florham is the final Division III opponent on Hartford's 2022-23 schedule, after Houghton and NVU-Lyndon.