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News Release
MEN'S BASKETBALL SQUANDERS OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST ROUND BYE; DROPS FINALE AT HARTFORD, 65-55
2/29/2004
Hartford, CT--The University of Hartford men’s basketball team wrapped up the sixth seed and a first-round bye in next weekend’s Choice Hotels International America East Championship with a 65-55 win over UMBC on Sunday at the Chase Family Arena.
The Hawks finish the regular season with an 11-16 overall record, 6-12 in the conference. Hartford will play third-seeded Northeastern in the quarterfinals of the America East Championship on Saturday, March 6. UMBC, which finished at 7-20 overall and 4-14 in the conference, is the ninth seed and will take on #8 Stony Brook, which lost to New Hampshire in overtime to drop to the #8 seed.
Senior Ryan Stys led the Hawks with 17 points on senior day, one of four Hartford players in double figures. Sophomore Aaron Cook and freshman Bo Taylor each finished with 12 points while sophomore Charles Ford had 11.
Hartford never trailed after taking a 13-12 lead just over six minutes into the game. The Hawks reeled off nine unanswered points to pump their lead and got it to double digits by halftime, 36-25. Cook scored 10 of his 12 points in the first stanza to pace the Hawks.
UMBC made two second-half charges but would never get over the hump. The first attempt came seven minutes in when a basket by Kareem Washington cut Hartford’s lead to 46-43. Hartford then built its lead back to nine before the Retrievers clawed their way back again, this time cutting the deficit to 55-54 with 3:38 remaining. UMBC had a chance to take the lead, but junior center Andrew Feeley missed the front end of a one-and-one and Hartford responded with 5 straight points to regain the momentum.
Kareem Washington led the Retrievers with 19 points while Rob Gogerty added 12.