RADNOR, PA - Hartwick's men's basketball team had its season come to an end in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday with a 79-69 loss to SUNY Purchase. The Hawks close out the year with a 17-11 overall mark.
Junior Mark Blazek (Erie, PA/Erie Cathedral Prep) and freshman Jared Suderley (Newport, NY/West Canada Valley) each scored 21 points for 'Wick. Chris Ryder (Port Washington, NY/Port Washington) added 19 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
In the first half of play, Hartwick jumped out to a 10-point lead, 14-4, just 4:14 into the contest. The Panthers regrouped, outscoring 'Wick 36-18 the rest of the way to take a 40-32 into intermission. Purchase took the lead 34-32 on a layup with 3:49 to play, and held onto it for the rest of the night.
The Hawks hit 48% from the floor in the opening stanza. The Panthers hit 46.7% as a team and hit 10-of-13 free throws, while out-rebounding Hartwick, 17-13.
Blazek scored 12 in the opening half with Suderley notching 11 for the Hawks. Michael McNair scored nine to lead Purchase.
The Panther advantage swelled to 11 points, 47-36, quickly in the second half, but a 12-2 Hartwick run made it a one-point game, 49-48, with 12 minutes remaining. Ryder hit two three-pointers and Suderley converted two jumpers in the run.
Purchase opened up two leads of seven points twice in the next five minutes, but the Hawks fought back each time. A Suderley layup made it 63-58 with 6:48 showing on the clock. Hartwick got a stop on defense but the Hawks missed a chance to cut into the deficit with a missed free throw. The Panthers took advantage with seven straight points and they led 70-58 with under four minutes left.
Blazek hit four straight free throws for 'Wick only to have the Panthers answer with a runner in the lane and 1-of-2 foul shots for an 11-point edge with less than two minutes to go. Blazek drained a three-pointer, his third of the night, and Ryder connected on two from the line to bring the Hawks to within six, 73-67, with 1:11 left. 'Wick, however, would miss its next four shots from the floor after Ryder's last free throw, while Purchase made 4-of-6 from the line down the stretch to seal the victory.
McNair would finish the night with a game-high 28 points on 8-of-10 shooting, including a 3-of-3 showing from beyond the three-point arc. Marvin Billups and Charles Thompson each added 13 and Corey Orgias netted 11. Billups also grabbed a team-best nine rebounds.
The Hawks shot 39% for the game (24-for-61) and 28% from three-point range (7-for-25). Purchase made 47% of its shots and 50% of its three's. The Panthers won the rebounding margin, 38-31, and forced the Hawks into 17 turnovers, which was their highest total in 18 games.
Despite the loss, the Hawks still finished the successful campaign with 17 wins, which is the most for the program since 1996. The Hawks also won 10 conference games, tied for second-most all-time, and captured their first Empire 8 Championship in school history.
