ONEONTA, N.Y. — Hartwick battled Nazareth down to the wire Saturday afternoon at Lambros Arena before falling by a slim margin to the Golden Flyers in conference play.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Nazareth 75 Hartwick 68
Location: Oneonta, NY | Lambros Arena
Records: Nazareth (12-4, 7-1 Empire 8) • Hartwick (7-10, 1-7 Empire 8)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Hawks looked to get back on track against the conference-leading Golden Flyers on Saturday afternoon, trading blows throughout the contest before ultimately falling to Nazareth in a tightly contested Empire 8 battle.
Hartwick opened the afternoon with energy, winning the opening tip and finding Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) for a three-pointer to start the scoring, assisted by Robby Lucas (Abington Heights, Pa.). Nazareth answered from long range, but Malachi Polson (Bay Shore, N.Y.) responded with a triple of his own before drawing a foul in transition and splitting a pair at the line to give the Hawks a two-point edge.
Nazareth swung momentum back with a short run, briefly interrupted by a Lucas three-pointer, before Kesean Leonard (Rochester, N.Y.) buried a deep shot to pull Hartwick back within striking distance. Gitz stayed hot from beyond the arc, knocking down two more triples to cut the deficit to one. Joey McLaurin (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) drew multiple defenders and kicked to Samaj Barnwell (Stockbridge, Ga.) for the go-ahead jumper with just under nine minutes remaining.
Lucas extended the lead with a coast-to-coast finish following a strong rebound before Nazareth briefly regained the advantage. Leonard and Gitz answered with back-to-back three-pointers to put Hartwick back in front, but the Hawks were held scoreless over the final three minutes of the half as the Golden Flyers took a two-point lead into the break after a back-and-forth opening period that featured five lead changes.
The second half opened with more fireworks as Gitz connected on another three to reclaim the lead. Nazareth responded once again, but Lucas drove to the basket to tie the game. A brief scoring drought followed for the Hawks, though TJ Etienne (Boynton Beach, FL) added points at the free-throw line to keep Hartwick within reach. Lucas then buried a clutch triple to trim the deficit to one before Polson cleaned up the offensive glass and finished inside to knot the game with under 10 minutes remaining.
Leonard drained his third triple of the afternoon to put Hartwick back in front before interior buckets from Xymier Thomas (Binghamton, N.Y.) and Jackson Frame (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) extended the lead to two possessions. Nazareth answered with a late push, but Thomas converted a layup to keep the Hawks ahead momentarily. With just under five minutes remaining, the Golden Flyers regained the lead with back-to-back scores, only to see Lucas respond with another three to put Hartwick back on top.
Nazareth closed the game on a decisive five-point run, led by the reigning Empire 8 Player of the Year, to take a three-point edge with three minutes left. Leonard drove through the defense to make it a one-possession game, but the Golden Flyers sealed the victory at the free-throw line in the final minute, handing the Hawks a narrow loss despite a strong effort.
Gitz led the Blue and White with 18 points, connecting on six triples. First-year standouts Lucas and Leonard each finished with 13 points, with Lucas grabbing a team-high nine rebounds while Leonard added two assists and two steals.
UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS
The Hawks will host the Russell Sage Gators on Tuesday, January 27th 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.
