ALLENTOWN, PA – Hartwick men's basketball led by only three points at halftime, but poured it on in the second half, outscoring Alvernia 44-31 to earn its first win of the season Friday at the Muhlenberg College Scotty Wood Invitational. The Hawks won by a final of 80-64.
           
Hartwick shot 50% (16-for-32) in the second half and 46.8% (29-for-62) in the game to take down the Crusaders, who entered the day 3-0.
           
Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) and Trevor Norton (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College) each scored 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Brandon LaForest (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) added 13 points and Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) recorded a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) contributed nine points and 10 boards.
           
Alvernia earned the upper hand in the early stages of the first half with an 11-5 lead after 4:13. 'Wick would quickly turn the tables with four straight three-point baskets to go up 17-11. Norton canned two of them with Lufkin and Justin Pratt (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown) also hitting from downtown.
           
The Hawks' first-half lead swelled to as many as eight before the Crusaders hit a trio of three's to draw even at 30-30 with 3:38 left. A three-point play from Lufkin with 1:25 remaining broke the tie for the final time, and 'Wick led 36-33 at half.
           
The Hawks began the second half on a blistering pace, making six of their first eight shots from the floor. LaForest drained two three's in the span. Wilson converted two layups, and Wilson and Sinicki each had a bucket in the run, and the Hawks led 50-38.
           
Alvernia closed the gap to five points twice near the middle of the half but each time the Hawks responded with baskets to keep the Crusaders at bay. A 9-0 run for 'Wick over a three-minute span gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the game, 72-55, with under five minutes left in the contest. The Crusaders wouldn't get closer than 13 the rest of the way in the Hartwick victory.
           
Norton and LaForest would each make four three-point shots for the Hawks, while combining to hit eight of their 12 shots from beyond the arc. LaForest would also dish out a game-high five assists with Norton contributing three. Lufkin hit two treys, registered a team-best three steals, and four assists. Pratt added five points and seven boards.
           
Charles Cooper led all scorers for Alvernia with 20 points. George Sapp scored 13 and Alex Shippen dropped in 11.
           
The Hawks advance to tomorrow's Scotty Wood Championship game which begins at 8 p.m. at Memorial Hall in Allentown. 'Wick faces the winner of the game between the host Mules and CCNY.