ONEONTA, N.Y. – The Hartwick men's basketball team squared off with SUNY Oneonta in the annual Battle of the Hills on Wednesday night, as the Hawks looked to build on their season-opening win over Cobleskill. In a back-and-forth contest, the Blue and White battled wire-to-wire before the Red Dragons pulled away late to take the rivalry matchup.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hartwick 64 Oneonta 77

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y. | Dewar Arena

• Records: Hartwick (1-1, 0-0 Empire 8) SUNY Oneonta (1-0, 0-0 SUNYAC)

BY THE NUMBERS

• Empire 8 Player to Watch Samaj Barnwell led the scoring for the Blue and White, posting 13 points on the night.

• 'Wick shot well from the free throw line, going 16 for 21 for a 76.2 percentage.

• The Hawks held Oneonta to a total of 77 points, the Red Dragons' lowest scoring output in a Battle of the Hills matchup since 2018.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
Oneonta struck first on the scoreboard before Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) was fouled beyond the arc, calmly sinking all three free throws to get Hartwick rolling. Kesean Leonard (Rochester, N.Y.) and Samaj Barnwell (Stockton, Ga.)added long-range makes to keep pace with the Red Dragons. Barnwell continued to find his rhythm in the midrange, connecting on multiple buckets to keep the Hawks within striking distance. Inside, Keegan Paolillo (Clearwater, Fla.)and TJ Etienne (Boynton Beach, Fla.) made their presence felt with timely scores in the paint, as Hartwick entered the half trailing by just four.

Paolillo stayed hot to open the second half, tallying six quick points before Cosmo Hardinson (Larchmont, N.Y.) buried a three-pointer to give the Hawks a one-point lead with just over 15 minutes remaining. Hardinson's impact continued on both ends, picking up a key block before converting two free throws after drawing contact in transition.

The Hawks used a balanced attack to keep things close, but the Red Dragons regained the lead near the 12-minute mark and never relinquished it. Oneonta's hot shooting down the stretch — hitting 47 percent in the second half — combined with Hartwick's late turnover troubles proved to be the difference. Despite a strong effort and stretches of momentum, the Hawks fell just short in the Battle of the Hills.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will prepare for the Stevenson Tournament, going head to head with St. Joe's on Friday, November 14th at 6PM at Stevenson University.

About Hartwick College:
Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.