Hawks Season Closes with Loss at Belhaven

Jackson, Mississippi – The Hawks season has come to an end as they traveled to #2 Belhaven for the first round of the Collegiate Conference of the South Tournament. The game came down to the wire with a one possession game as the Blazers advanced with a score of 72-69.

Nate Johns struck first for the Hawks as they went up two in the first thirty seconds of the game. Freshman Jeremy Autin followed with a made jumper that sparked a Max Gardner layup for the Hawks to finish a 6-2 run. Back to back made threes for the Blazers tied the game at eight with sixteen minutes left in the first half. A made free throw gave Belhaven their first lead of the night that they held for the remainder of the first half and majority of the second. The Blazers took off on a 10-0 run before the halfway point of the first half to extend their lead  (19-9). That run was ended by a DaQuan Hawkins three, but Belhaven returned with another run of 6-0 (25-12). Huntingdon finally reciprocated the game of runs with a 6-0 one of their own to bring the game back within seven (25-18). Baskets traded for the last three minutes of the half until some key free-throws by top performer, Max Gardner, who gained his third double-double of the season, brought the game within five (35-30). The Hawks remained down by five heading to halftime 38-33.

Key First Half Stats:

Belhaven shot 50% from the field compared to the Hawks 33%

The Blazers gained their largest lead at 13 points

Huntingdon shot 90% from the free throw line only missing one  (10-11)

Autin's early layup put the Hawks down by one for the first time since fifteen minutes in the first half. Both teams began to battle from that point on and Myles Murphy led the Hawks with consecutive made threes to tie the game and then take the lead under the ten minute mark (50-47). The switch of lead changes went on for five minutes until the Hawks took their largest lead of the second half at four points (58-54). Belhaven brought the game to a tie a few more times but at the two-minute mark they reclaimed the lead on a pair of key free throws. (64-62). Huntingdon would not give up though. They pushed to tie the game with free throws of their own and Gardner took the lead with 1:53 left. More Belhaven foul shots tied the game yet again but a huge three by Johns lifted the Hawks back on top with a minute to go. A Hawk foul sent the Blazers back to the foul line where they made both. With possession of the ball and up by one, the Hawks turned the ball over with 28 seconds left that led to a fast break Belhaven layup to give them the advantage (70-69). Huntingdon was forced to foul after that and Belhaven continued to make their free-throws to push past the Hawks and advance to the conference semi-final game.

Key Game Stats:

The Blazers had 23 fastbreak points and the Hawks had 4

The Hawks out rebounded the Blazers 35-28 with 17 offensive rebounds resulting in 21 points

Belhaven scored 16 points off Huntingdon's 16 turnovers

Stat Leaders for Huntingdon:

#10 Myles Murphy – 19 Points, 3 Steals, 2 Assists

#2 Max Gardner – 17 Points, 11 Points, 2 Assists

#1 DaQuan Hawkins – 11 Points

The Hawks end their season going 2-23 overall and 1-11 in the Collegiate Conference of the South.