Men's Basketball

Men's Basketball Team Pulls Out 68-66 Win Over Elmira College

ELMIRA, NY - A.J. Beaulieu's (Chicopee, MA) driving layup with 1:28 to play gave Hartwick a two-point lead and the Hawks held Elmira off in its final two possessions with under a minute to play in a 68-66 victory at EC's Speidel Gymnasium on Saturday evening. 'Wick improves to 9-11 overall and 3-9 in the Empire 8. Elmira drops to 3-17 and 1-10.

Jan Cocozziello (Scotch Plains, NJ), who scored 17 points in the first half, finished with 24 to lead the team. Ramond Doyley (Yonkers, NY) added 13 points and a game-high seven rebounds, and Beaulieu contributed 11.

The Hawks led by 10 points (21-11) with 11 minutes remaining in the first half with Cocozziello draining 13 of the team's points. It was Elmira, however, that emerged with the lead at the break thanks to a 25-12 run to close the period.

In the second half, the Hawks quickly regained the lead after only two minutes on a Beaulieu jumper, and they held the advantage for the next 16 minutes. Holding a 58-56 lead at the 8:02 mark of the second half, Hartwick used a 7-0 run to take a 65-56 with under five minutes left, seemingly taking control of the contest. Kyle Phillips (Ashland, MA) hit a pair of shots and Cocozziello added a basket and a free throw in the spurt.

Elmira's Bobby DiPiazza countered with a two-point basket and a three-pointer making it a 65-61 contest with 3:20 on the clock. After Doyley hit one of two from the foul line, DiPiazza again connected on a trey and the Hartwick lead was just two points, 66-64. 'Wick turned it over on its next possession and following a foul, Jon Adamson hit a pair from the line and the game was tied at 66 with 1:55 to play.

After a Hawk timeout, Beaulieu would drive to the basket and score on a lay-in off the glass giving HC the lead for good. On the other end, Adamson would miss a layup and Chris Henderson could not get two put-backs to fall for the Soaring Eagles keeping it 68-66.

With 20 seconds to go, senior forward Albe Hulick (Greenville, NY) drove through the lane looking for a four-point HC cushion, but his shot went in and out giving Elmira a chance to tie or win in its final possession. The ball went to DiPiazza with three seconds left and his potential game-winner from three-point range rattled around the rim and popped out to give Hartwick the victory.

DiPiazza would finish with a game-high 25 points. Noah Zazulia added 13 points and Adamson finished the day with 11. DiPiazza and Zazulia combined for seven three-pointers on the day for the Soaring Eagles.

Hartwick is back in action on Tuesday night at Binder Gymnasium against Utica. The Pioneers downed the Hawks 78-58 on Jan. 17.