Men's Basketball | 2/25/2016 8:05:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – Hartwick men's basketball hopes this season's trip to St. John Fisher's Manning & Napier Gymnasium ends a bit differently than last season. The Hawks fell to Alfred 79-72 in last season's semifinals ending their season. A pair of victories this weekend would give the program its second Empire 8 Championship in the last three years and third in the last six seasons.
           
The third-seeded Hawks open tournament play with a semifinal meeting with second-seeded Nazareth tomorrow at 8 p.m. St. John Fisher hosts fourth-seeded Stevens in the first semifinal at 6 p.m.
             
Hartwick has had success shooting the three-pointer this season, already setting program records for three's in a game with 24 against Utica and three-pointers in a season with 272. The Hawks, who average just under 11 three-pointers per game in conference play, rolled through their Empire 8 schedule before struggling offensively and from three-point range in consecutive road losses at Stevens on February 19 and St. John Fisher one week ago. 'Wick responded in its regular season finale win over Ithaca, shooting 54% from the floor with 14 shots from downtown.
             
Hartwick boasts four players shooting 38% or better from three-point range and seven shooting at least 34%. The Hawks are led by All-Empire 8 First Team senior guard Trevor Norton (Mullica Hill, NJ/Ursinus College), who averages 20.1 points per game and has knocked down 74 three-pointers this season. Junior Justin Pratt (North Kingstown, RI/North Kingstown), who set a program record for treys in a game with 11 against Utica on January 27, has added 72 baskets from the outside.
           
Junior Joey Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) and freshman Brandon LaForest (Cohoes, NY/Cohoes) have combined for another 60 three-pointers this season. Senior Glenn Gavan (Newton, NJ/Pope John XXIII) has come off the bench to hit 21 three's on 38% shooting.
           
Second Team All-Conference Matt Wilson (Shelton, CT/Franklin & Marshall College) and Jake Sinicki (Endicott, NY/Maine Endwell) have led the way down low. Wilson averages 12.7 points and 9.8 rebounds to go along with 47 blocked shots. Sinicki has contributed 12.2 points and 8.1 boards.
           
On Friday, the Hawks go up against a Nazareth team with Player of the Year Mitch Ford, Rookie of the Year Tyler Stenglein, and Second-Team All-Conference Maurice Mills. Ford led the league in both scoring (22.6) and rebounding (11.5) with Stenglein contributing 15 points per contest.
           
In their first meeting in Rochester, Ford and Stenglein combined for 44 points in an 82-73 win over the Hawks. In the return meeting at Lambros on February 9, Hartwick limited Ford to just 10 points and Norton and Wilson combined for 43 points and 20 rebounds in an 86-77 victory.
           
A victory for the Hawks could hand them a daunting task in the championship with a possible meeting against the host Cardinals, who enter the weekend having won 27 straight games at home.
           
Hartwick is 3-3 against the tournament field, splitting the season series against Fisher, Naz, and Stevens. The Hawks were 3-0 at home against the trio but 0-3 on the road.
           
Hartwick is in search of its third E8 crown after winning in both 2011 and 2014. A weekend sweep would give the Hawks their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance in six years and the 19^th in program history.