UTICA, NY – Hartwick shot just under 55% from the floor in each half as it defeated host Utica College 83-64 on Tuesday night at Clark Athletic Center. The Hawks now have won for the fifth straight time and improve to 13-8 overall and 8-4 in the Empire 8. They also pull into a second-place tie with Ithaca in the standings with four games to play.
            Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine-Endwell) led Hartwick with 21 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. He missed only two shots on the night, making 9-of-11 from the floor and both of his free throw attempts.
            Trevor Norton (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College) added 19 points, four assists, three steals, and three shots from beyond the three-point arc. He also made all six of his shots from the foul line. Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) went a perfect 6-of-6 from the floor to finish with 17 points and seven boards. Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) contributed 10 points and dished out a game-high seven assists.
            After a 9-9 tie through nearly four minutes of action in the first half of play, a Sinicki jumper would give Hartwick the lead which it held for the rest of the night. It was part of a 12-0 Hartwick run which gave it a 19-9 lead with 14:01 left in the half.
            The advantage increased to 11 points, 26-15, after a Corey Baker (Granby, MA/Granby) three-pointer with 6:59 left on the clock and then to 14 points, 38-24, on a Lufkin jumper with 1:07 left before 'Wick settled on a 38-27 lead at the half.
            The Hartwick advantage grew to 17 three minutes into the second half but the Pioneers slowly chipped away at their deficit. They cut it to four points twice near the midway point of the half. The second came on a Connor Maisch three-pointer which made the score 64-60 with 8:23 left on the game clock.
            'Wick responded with a 10-0 run over the next 3:19 to go up 74-60 to pull away. Wilson netted four points in the run with Lufkin and Sinicki each adding three. The Hawks wouldn't lead by less than 10 points over the final four minutes in the victory.
            Hartwick shot 54.7% (29-for-53) as a team. The Hawks out-rebounded the Pioneers 37-27 in the contest. UC shot 44.1% (26-for-59) as a group. The Pioneers were led by Maisch's game-highs of 30 points and five three-pointers. Aaron Nevins scored 14 points and Robert Tutein contributed 10.
            Joe Krong (Amsterdam, NY/Franklin & Marshall College) added six points and eight rebounds for 'Wick. Baker finished with five in six minutes.  
            Hartwick is back in action on Friday at Ithaca College. Tip-off is 8 p.m.