Score: Hartwick College 78, Elmira College 63
Records: Hartwick (12-6, 5-4 E8), Elmira (3-12, 1-7 E8)
Location: Oneonta, N.Y. -- Lambros Arena

ONEONTA, N.Y. -- Despite recording season highs in field goal and 3-point field goal percentages, and out-rebounding the Hawks, the Elmira College men's basketball team was defeated by Hartwick College, 78-63, on the road on Saturday afternoon.

From the field, the Soaring Eagles shot a hearty 47.9 percent (23-for-48), and they finished 54.5 percent (12-for-22) from beyond the arc. Both rates are not only season highs, but drastic improvements from EC's last game, a home loss to Nazareth College. However, it was Elmira's carelessness with the ball that proved to be fatal, as the Soaring Eagles coughed up a season-worst 27 turnovers.

The Hawks entered the locker room with a four-point lead at the break, 29-25, and quickly extended the margin to 12 points with an 8-0 run to start the second half. The offensive outburst was fueled by 3-pointers from Brandon LaForest and Justin Pratt. Elmira rookie Alex Ischiropoulos '20 helped whittle the hole back to four points with a pair of treys of his own, the latter at the 16:44 mark of the second half. Once again, Hartwick pulled ahead by a 12-point advantage, 51-39, but a Hayden Harkins '18 3-pointer and a Justin Porrett '19 and-one had the Soaring Eagles within reach, 51-46, midway through the half.

Over the next six-plus minutes, the Hawks went on a monumental run to turn the six-point difference into a 20-point lead, 71-51, with approximately four minutes remaining in regulation. The scoring spurt would be more than enough for the hosts to seal the victory, sweeping the season series for the 2016-17 season.

Turning Point
Ischiropoulos stripped Hartwick's Justin Pratt and set up a fastbreak lay-in for Porrett on the other end of the court. Porrett capped off the unconventional three-point play with the free throw after being fouled by Pratt, which cut the EC deficit down to 51-45. Over the next six-plus minutes, however, Elmira netted only six points, one less than the number of turnovers it committed in that span. Hartwick took advantage of the miscues, effectively building a 20-point lead in the process.

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira finished with better percentages from the field (47.9-to-44.3) and from 3-point range (54.5-to-39.4).
• EC out-rebounded the Hawks, 36-to-27.
• The Soaring Eagles also finished with more assists than Hartwick, 18-to-15.
• The Hawks had 13 steals and five blocks, both game highs.
• Harkins paced the EC offense with 18 points off of a 6-for-8 effort from downtown.
• Cuffee was second on the team with 14 points.
• Porrett scored six points, dished out seven assists, and hauled in a team-high eight rebounds.
• Ischiropoulos netted a trio of 3-pointers for nine points.
• Hartwick's LaForest and Joey Lufkin led all scorers with 25 and 20 points, respectively.
• LaForest finished a perfect 8-for-8 from the floor and 6-for-6 from 3-point land.

News and Notes

• Elmira is 3-14 on the season and 1-7 in Empire 8 Conference play.
• The Soaring Eagles are still winless on the road at 0-8.
• EC's 47.9 field goal percentage and 54.5 3-point percentage are both season highs.
• The 54.5 3-point field goal percentage is the first for the Soaring Eagles over 50.0 percent since February 5, 2016, against Utica College (52.0).
• Elmira's seven steals tied a season high.
• Harkins' 18 points are the most he's scored since netting 19 on January 3rd, in the series opener vs. Hartwick.
• Eight rebounds are a season high for Porrett.
• 14 points are the most for Cuffee since December 4th, when he scored 15 against St. Lawrence University.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles return home to host the Cardinals of St. John Fisher College in Empire 8 action on Tuesday, January 31st, at 8:00 p.m. at Speidel Gymnasium.