UTICA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Men's Basketball team headed to SUNY Poly for a Saturday afternoon tip-off, dropping the season series to the Wildcats.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Hartwick 68 SUNY Poly 83

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y.

• Records: Hartwick (3-19, 3-10 Empire 8) SUNY Poly (15-7, 10-3 Empire 8)

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Hartwick geared up for another Empire 8 tip-off, looking to even the season series and pick up a victory down the final stretch.

• Henry Perkins (Albany, N.Y.) opened the contest with a statement, sinking the turnaround jumper with the foul.

• Perkins sank his free throw and got back to work on the ensuing possession, grabbing two offensive boards. Brian Bonin (Cicero, N.Y.) cashed in on the second opportunity to get the Hawks going.

• The Wildcats used a seven point spurt of their own to tie the game as the teams began to trade the lead back and forth.

• Joey McLaurin (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) provided a spark off the bench, coming up and providing back to back buckets to swing the momentum back to 'Wick.

• Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) connected on his first trey, igniting a three point barrage as Bonin, McLaurin, and Gitz hit from deep range to put the Royal Blue and White up four with four minutes left.

• Poly would retake the lead before the closure of the first half, the tightly contested period of competition saw five lead changes with both teams trying to gain the edge over one another.

• The Hawks opened up the second half with a bucket from Perkins to knot the game up at 35.

• Gitz hit another momentum shifting three at the 15 minute mark to tie the game up once again as the intensity grew.

• SUNY Poly caught fire in the final 14 minutes, connecting from both downtown and inside the painted area at will.

• McLaurin and Perkins poured in buckets in attempts to keep up with the Wildcats but they were able to hold Hartwick off until the final whistle.

• Isaiah Thomas (Manitou Springs, CO) led the Hawks in scoring with 12, getting to the rim with force as well as drilling two three pointers.

• Perkins, McLaurin and Bonin also posted double figures in scoring, Perkins posted 12, McLaurin and Bonin collected eleven points.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will head to St. John Fisher for a Friday night matchup versus the Cardinals on Friday, February 14th at 7:30 PM.

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.