OWINGS MILLS, MD – The Hawks opened the Mustang Classic against the Golden Eagles of St. Joseph's University Long Island, trading blows throughout the night but ultimately grinding out a five-point victory on Friday evening.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: St. Joseph's 74 Hartwick 79

• Location: Owing Mills, MD | Stevenson University

• Records: St. Joseph's (0-3, 0-0 Skyline) Hartwick (2-1, 0-0 Empire 8) 

BY THE NUMBERS

• Kesean Leonard, Cosmo Hardinson, and Mike Gitz paced the offense, each pouring in double-digit points as Leonard led with 14.

• 'Wick used their pace to their advantage, collecting 13 fast break points and creating 25 points off turnovers.

• The Hawks advance to the championship game of the Mustang Classic with their first win over the Golden Eagles since 2002.

HOW IT HAPPENED 
Hartwick struck first, building an early lead by establishing a strong interior presence and mixing in long-range jumpers from Robby Lucas (Clarks Summit, Pa.), Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.), and Malachi Polson (Bay Shore, N.Y.) to spark the offense. St. Joe's soon settled in and began to trim the deficit, but the Blue and White continued to control the paint. Xymier Thomas (Binghamton, N.Y.) and Cosmo Hardinson (Larchmont, N.Y.) did the heavy lifting inside, while Gitz stretched the floor with his deep shooting, knocking down two loud back-to-back triples. Moments later, Samaj Barnwell (Stockbridge, Ga.) buried his first three of the night to extend the lead to 16. The Golden Eagles responded with a late push to cut the margin to 13 at the break.

Coming out of halftime, the Hawks cooled off from beyond the arc while St. Joe's started to heat up, chipping away from long distance and slowly climbing back into the contest. Buckets from Kesean Leonard (Rochester, N.Y.) and Hardinson kept Hartwick afloat, but a 14–2 Golden Eagle run swung the momentum and gave St. Joe's the lead. Hardinson answered the call, drilling a crucial three to spark the offense back to life. Coach Cooper's squad turned up the tempo, generating fast-break points to pull even before Barnwell buried a timely triple to reclaim the lead.

With under three minutes remaining, Barnwell knocked down his final three of the night to push the advantage to seven, effectively sealing the win. Lucas and Leonard closed the door at the free-throw line, securing a gritty opening-round victory for the Hawks at the Mustang Classic.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will play in the championship game of the Mustang Classic, awaiting the winner of Stevenson vs Penn State Brandywine on Saturday, November 15 at 4PM.

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.