ONEONTA, NY – Hartwick used a 21-4 run over the opening 8:45 of the second half in an 80-62 Empire 8 victory over visiting Alfred on Friday night at Lambros Arena. 'Wick led by just five at halftime, but the big run increased the Hawks' advantage to 22 in the win.
All five starters were in double figures, led by Trevor Norton's (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College) 19 points. Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) missed a double-double by one rebound with 14 points and nine boards. Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle Central) scored 12 points, Justin Pratt (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown) added 11, and Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) earned a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Wilson also added a team-best three assists.
With the victory the Hawks win for the fifth straight time, improve to 9-4 overall, and remain unbeaten in the Empire 8 at 4-0. Alfred falls to 6-8 and 2-3.
In the first half, the lead would change hands five times with AU holding its biggest lead of four points, 26-22, with 9:23 remaining. A 17-4 Hartwick run over the next six minutes of action would hand the Hawks a nine-point, 39-30 advantage three and a half minutes before halftime. The Saxons got six of the final eight points for a 41-36 deficit at the break.
The Hawks opened the second half making 8-of-13 from the field with all five starters contributing, led by Norton's six points and Lufkin's five. In the same 8:45 span of time, 'Wick limited the Saxons to just 2-of-15 shooting and forced three turnovers.
'Wick led 62-45 before the Hawks went on a 9-0 run to open up their biggest lead of the night, 71-45, with 7:41 to play. Seventeen points would be as close as AU would get the rest of the way as the Hawks closed out the victory.
'Wick had 11 blocks in the game, led by Sinicki's three. Wilson, Brandon LaForest (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes), Justin Carruthers (Greenwich, NY/Greenwich), and Marc du Moulin (Altamont, NY/Guilderland) each had a pair. LaForest also added six points.
Justin Reinhart was the lone Saxons in double figures. He had 13 points.
The Hawks look for a perfect week tomorrow when they host Elmira at Lambros beginning at 2 p.m.