UTICA, NY – Visiting Hartwick battled back from as many as 13 points down to even the score in the second half on Tuesday night at Utica College, but the host Pioneers grabbed the lead with under nine minutes left and never relinquished it in a tightly contested 77-65 Empire 8 game at Clark Gymnasium.
           
Pat Garey (Johnson City, NY/Johnson City) tied for a game-high with 19 points for the Hawks to lead four players in double figures. Calvin Seward (Bridgeport, CT/Fairchild Wheeler) and Tommy Kelly (Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna) each netted 13 points apiece with Austin Haskell (Kirkwood, NY/Susquehanna Valley) contributing 12.
           
With the setback, the Hawks fall to 11-8 on the season and 3-5 in the Empire 8. Utica ups its records to 15-4 and 6-2 in league play.
           
Garey sank three three-pointers in the game, which gives him 178 for his career and moves him past Eric Wilson for eighth in the Hartwick career record book. Seward went 4-for-4 from the floor for his 13 points, which was a career-high.
           
After a Garey three 4:18 into the first half which gave the Hawks a 7-5 advantage, UC used a 9-0 run to grab a 14-7 lead three and a half minutes later. The Hawks got the next four points but another 12-4 spurt for the hosts grew the lead back to eleven, 26-15. The Pioneers' edge would get to 13 at the 3:29 mark, 33-20, only to have the Hawks net 11 of the half's final 15 points to head into the locker room down just six, 37-31. Garey would connect for five points in the late run.
           
Three straight points to start the half gave UC an early 40-31 lead. Garey, Kelly, and Haskell scored on consecutive trips on the offensive end for 'Wick as the Hawks trimmed the gap to two, 40-38, at the 16:51 mark. Later with 11:49 remaining, Nick Eiler (Highland Mills, NY/Saddle River Day) sank a pair from the free-throw line to tie the score (47-47) for the first time since it was 7-7. Three more tie scores followed in the next three minutes as the Hawks continued to battle. A UC free throw at the 8:37 mark would give the hosts the lead to stay.
           
Hartwick kept the game within six points for the next six minutes, getting as close as three twice. A trey from Garey made it a one-possession game, 64-61, with 4:07 showing on the clock. UC scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 72-63 advantage with under two minutes left to play as the Hawks could only connect on one of five field goal attempts in the span. Seven points with just over a minute left was as close as Hartwick could get and Utica tacked on another five points for the final score line.
              
Haskell and Bobby Connors (Rockville Centre, NY/Chaminade) tied for the team lead in rebounds with eight apiece. Garey added a game-high four assists to go along with his three three-pointers. Kelly also had three from downtown with three assists.
           
Thomas Morreale and Darius Hopkins each scored 19 points for UC. They were the lone players in double figures with five other Pioneers registering six or more.
           
The Hawks made 41% (24-for-58) from the floor in the game and 29% (7-for-24) from three-point range. They also hit 91% (10-for-11) from the free-throw line. The Pioneers hit slightly better at a 46% (25-for-55) tilt. They matched the Hawks in three-pointers with seven but struggled from the free-throw line at 59% (20-for-34). Utica out-rebounded the Hawks narrowly, 34-31.
             
Hartwick next travels to Sage on Saturday as the Hawks look to avenge an earlier season loss to the Gators at Lambros Arena. Game time is 2 p.m.           
           
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