ALBANY, NY – A tough spell in the second half cost the Hartwick men's basketball team in a 73-63 loss on the road at The Sage Colleges (11-9, 4-5 E8) on Saturday at Kahl Gymnasium. The Hawks (11-9, 3-6 E8) led by two at halftime but the host Gators out-scored them 41-29 in the second half to score the win.

            The first half saw the Gators take control after they used a 16-2 run to turn a 5-5 game 3:23 into the contest into a commanding 21-7 lead with under 11 minutes remaining. 'Wick wasted little time getting itself right back into the contest as the Hawks ripped off 14 straight points of their own in less than two minutes to tie the score at 21. The Hawks made five consecutive shots from the floor in the span with Nick Eiler (Highland Mills, NY/Saddle River Day) and Bobby Connors (Rockville Centre, NY/Chaminade) each hitting a three, and Pat Garey (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) netting a pair from beyond the three-point arc.
            The lead would change hands five times the rest of the half with neither team leading by more than three points. The Gators led heading into the final minute before Tommy Kelly (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) struck from three-point land to tie it and Kyle Bradshaw (Tinton Falls, NJ/Manasqua) put a shot in just before the buzzer to give 'Wick a two-point edge at halftime, 34-32.
            Garey made 4-of-5 from three in the half to finish with 12 points. The Hawks sank 8-of-15 (53.3%) from deep in the period.
            Sage scored nine of the first 13 points in the second half but the Hawks trailed by just three, 41-38, after Austin Haskell's (Kirkwood, NY/Susquehanna Valley) basket after four and a half minutes elapsed. From there, things went downhill for 'Wick as the Hawks would go without a field goal for the next seven and a half minutes. The Gator advantage would grow to as many as 15 points, 57-42, with under eight minutes to go as the Hawks missed seven straight from the floor and committed seven turnovers.
            Garey finally got one to go from the outside and Connors followed up with a layup shortly after to make it a single-digit game, 57-48. After Sage built the lead back up to 13, Bradshaw drilled two three-pointers sandwiched around a Kelly layup all within a 1:40 span and suddenly 'Wick trimmed the deficit to only five points, 63-58, at the 3:34 mark.
            The Hawks got a stop on defense and had a chance to inch closer but their shot was off the mark. Sage netted the next seven points to go up 12 with under a minute left. Connors and Kelly both converted buckets to make it a seven-point game but 'Wick couldn't get any closer.
            The Hawks were led by Garey's 17 points. He had five threes in the game. Connors added 14 points and six rebounds with Kelly and Bradshaw each contributing 10 points. Bradshaw also had the team-high in rebounds with 10 to finish with a double-double.
            Sage received game-highs of 26 points and 12 rebounds from Jalon Borders. Tyler Mitchell also registered 20 points for the Gators, who shot 46.7% (28-for-60) as a group. They would out-score the Hawks 40-14 in the paint on the day and they had the edge in rebounds, 39-36. 'Wick made 37.1% (23-for-62) from the floor and the Hawks knocked down 12 three-pointers.
            Hartwick looks to end its four-game skid back at home next weekend as the Hawks host St. John Fisher on Friday, February 7 beginning at 5:30 p.m.       
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