HOBOKEN, NJ – Hartwick's men's basketball team won its fourth consecutive game and third straight on the road on Saturday with a 59-55 victory over Stevens Institute of Technology in Empire 8 action at Canavan Arena. With the victory, Hartwick improves to 12-8 overall and 7-4 in the league standings.
            Sophomore guard Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) led all scorers with 20 points. He knocked down three three-pointers and dished out a game-high five assists. Freshman Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine-Endwell) had a big game with 15 points and nine rebounds. He made five of his six shots from the floor, including four from beyond the three-point arc. Trevor Norton (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College) added 10 points and seven boards.
            The Hawks jumped out to a 12-5 lead after 5:15 but neither team led by more than four for the next 10 minutes in a tight first half of play. Two Justin Pratt (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown) free throws made it 26-21 Hawks with just over four minutes remaining in the half and the Ducks cut it to two at the intermission with an 8-5 run.
            Hartwick surged ahead and took control of the game early in the second half. After an Otis Osman three-pointer put Stevens in the lead, 34-33, three-pointers from Joe Krong (Amsterdam, NY/Franklin & Marshall College), Norton, and Lufkin pushed the Hawks back in front, 42-34. Another layup and three from Lufkin shortly thereafter gave the Hawks a 47-36 advantage with 10:55 left on the game clock.
            The Ducks got the deficit under 10 for the next six minutes until Sinicki connected from downtown for a 53-43 lead with 4:48 to go. Stevens got the next eight points to make it a 53-51 game with 1:27 left.  
            An offensive board and put-back from Sinicki with less than a minute remaining made it 55-51 Hartwick before a Kenny Gan layup cut it to two once again. Gan had a chance to pull to within one on the ensuing free throw but following a miss, the Ducks got the offensive rebound and called timeout.
            After the break, Alex Lorenz went up for a game-tying layup but Hartwick center Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) registered a timely block and Lufkin made two free throws following a Stevens foul with 12 ticks left.
            Osman hit a jumper with four seconds left to make it a 57-55 game but Norton drained a pair from the line with a little over three seconds left to put it away.
            Krong would close the game with seven points and four rebounds for Hartwick. Pratt ended the contest with four points and nine boards.
            Osman led Stevens with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Patrick Sabatino added 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Chris Cosgrove netted 10.
            'Wick looks for five in a row on Tuesday night. The Hawks travel to Utica College for a game with the Pioneers beginning at 8 p.m.