Men's Basketball

`Wick Men Suffer First Loss at Ithaca

ITHACA, N.Y. - Sean Burton scored a game-high 23 points to lead Ithaca to a convincing 85-46 victory over visiting Hartwick in Empire 8 Conference men's basketball action, Saturday afternoon at Ben Light Gym.

Hartwick, which fell to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in league action, jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the opening moments of the tilt thanks to a three-pointer by Mike Clifford (New Hartford, N.Y.) and a jumper by Greg Bankowski (Guilderland, N.Y.). With the Hawks leading 8-7, the Bombers got the offense going and went on a 30-5 run to take a commanding 37-13 lead with 4:31 remaining in the first half. Ithaca went into the locker room with a 48-23 at intermission. Hartwick wouldn't challenge in the second half.

A.J. Beaulieu (Chicopee, Mass.) led the Hawks with seven points, while Bankowski, Jan Cocozziello (Scotch Plains, N.J.), Chris Carson (Gansevoort, N.Y.) and Martin McCann (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) each posted six points in the defeat.

For the game, Hartwick converted 20 of 50 field goal attempts (.400), while the Bombers hit 28 of 61 (.459), including going 13 of 23 from beyond the three-point line. Ithaca, who went 16 of 20 from the charity stripe, only turned the ball over 8 times. Hartwick suffered 24 turnovers in the loss.

The Hawks return to action Tuesday evening as they host Oneonta State. Tip-off for the contest is set for 8 p.m. at Binder Gym.