UTICA, NY – Hartwick finished the game on a 20-7 run to break a 58-58 tie with just over seven minutes left in a 78-65 victory at Utica on Tuesday night at Clark Athletic Center. The win is Hartwick's fourth in a row dating back to December 19. They improve to 8-4 overall and 3-0 and remain one of three unbeaten teams in conference play along with Nazareth (4-0) and St. John Fisher (3-0), who meet on Thursday.
           
Sophomore Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) led Hartwick with a double-double of 17 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) also added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.  
           
Trevor Norton (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College) missed a double-double by one rebound for the second straight game. He finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Reigning Empire 8 and ECAC Upstate Player of the Week Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle Central) scored 18 points and dished out eight assists.
           
Hartwick would open up a 16-point advantage in the first half of play as a Wilson layup with 4:13 remaining would give the Hawks a 36-20 advantage. The Pioneers scored the next 10 points and got the deficit down to five points before the Hawks would take an eight-point edge at halftime, 42-34.
           
A three-pointer from Norton made it a 50-38 game 2:25 into the second half, but a 14-2 Utica run would even the game at 52-all six and a half minutes later. The game would feature a pair of lead changes and four ties over the next 6:22 before a Lufkin bucket would put 'Wick up for good, 60-58, with under seven minutes to play.
           
The Hawks would go 3-for-6 from the floor and hit eight straight free throws as they gained a double-digit lead with roughly a minute left in the win.
           
Matt Knezovic (Ballston Lake, NY/Mansfield University) contributed seven points for the Hawks with Brandon LaForest (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) adding six. Glenn Gavan (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII) and Justin Pratt (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown) each had five.
           
The Hawks shot 45.6% and limited the Pioneers to 38% shooting. The Pioneers would make just 17% (4-for-24) from the outside.
           
UC's Robert Tutein led all scorers with 22 points. Ivan Iton scored 17 with Agim Hamiti adding 11.
           
The Hawks return home for a pair of games at Lambros Arena on Friday and Saturday. They host Alfred Friday and Elmira Saturday.