HARTFORD, Conn. — The Roger Williams University Men's Basketball team fell just short in a nail-biter on Tuesday night, losing to Hartford, 73–71. The Hawks battled through 16 lead changes and 15 ties but couldn't quite close the gap down the stretch.
Roger Williams came out firing, shooting 37.1 percent from the field in the first half and building a slim 34–32 lead to close out the half. The Hawks improved their perimeter efficiency in the second half, hitting 8-of-21 from three-point range, but Hartford's balanced scoring and hot free-throw shooting kept the game tightly contested. Both teams exchanged baskets down the stretch with Roger Williams holding fast-break momentum, scoring 29 points in transition yet Hartford's precision from the line, shooting 10-of-13 in the second half, sealed the victory.
Ashton Leclerc (Gorham, Maine) led the Hawks with 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-6 from deep, while adding two assists and a steal. Ryan Hammarlund (Southington, Conn.) contributed 13 points and five rebounds, and Ryan Higgins (Boston, Mass.) poured in a game-high 20 points, going 7-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-12 from three. Adam Flauto (Whitinsville, Mass.) hauled in six rebounds to anchor the glass, finishing with five points.
The Hawks shot 40.3 percent overall, including 33.3 percent from beyond the arc, and converted 5-of-9 free throws in the loss. Roger Williams controlled the boards early but was out-rebounded 52–30 by Hartford, allowing key second-chance opportunities that swung momentum.
Hartford's Kyle Winters led all scorers with 23 points, while Kaosi Chijioke added nine points and 11 rebounds. Drew Stack chipped in nine points, and Joshua Petion contributed eight points with five rebounds. Hartford was limited to 19.2 percent from three-point range, while Hartford's team shot 73.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Roger Williams (9-8, 5-3 CNE) will look to bounce back as conference play continues, as they host Western New England on Saturday, Jan. 24. Hartford (10-7, 4-4 CNE) will be back in action at Wentworth on Saturday, Jan. 24.
