Hartwick and Benedictine were tied at 23-all at halftime in a hard-fought, defensive game.
The second half featured seven ties and several lead changes. Hartwick tied Benedictine at 48-all with 4:11 to play on a free throw by Matt Simoneschi. The Eagles regained the lead, 51-48 on three pointer by Harrison with 3:04 left, the extended the lead to six, 54-48 on a three pointer by Alan Fudge with 2:04 left.
Hartwick cut that lead back to four on a jumper by Anthony Brown, but Fudge hit a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left to push the lead back to six.
Hartwick's Jan Cocozziello hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left on the clock to cut the lead to 56-53.
Mike Shimkus made one of two free throws to extend the lead to four with 14 seconds to play. Tim Swanson netted two free throws with 11 seconds left to get the lead back to six, 59-53, before Cocozziello layed the ball in at the buzzer for the final margin.
Hartwick was led by 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks from Brown. Cocoziello also added 15 for the Hawks, who fall to 5-4 with the loss.
Fudge was the only other player in double figures for Benedictine with 17.
Benedictine (5-3) will face Defiance (Ohio) College in tomorrow's title game at 1:15 p.m. Hartwick will meet Hood (Md.) College in the consolation final at 11:00 a.m.
Newspaper Box Score BENMBB06 vs Hartwick 12-21-05 1:15 pm at North Gym, Las Vegas, Nevada At North Gym, Las Vegas, Nevada BENMBB06 59, HARTWICK 55 BENMBB06 (6-4) HARRISON, Matt 6-15 2-2 19; FUDGE, Alan 5-12 4-4 17; DUSNMORE, Jordan 2-4 3-6 8; FRANKLIN, Jimmy 2-5 1-3 5; SHIMKUS, Mike 1-1 1-2 4; VAUGHN, Rob 1-5 0-0 2; SWANSON, Tim 0-6 2-2 2; OLSON, Andrew 1-2 0-0 2; GAGE, Jacob 0-1 0-0 0; GOODMAN, Aaron 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-52 13-19 59. HARTWICK (5-4) BROWN, Anthony 5-9 4-4 15; COCOZIELLO, Jan 6-13 2-5 15; KINDLON, Tim 3-8 0-0 8; DILLS, Jeff 2-2 0-2 4; DUNNIGAN, Pat 2-5 0-0 4; SIMONESCHI, Matt 0-2 3-4 3; LANFEAR, Alex 1-2 0-0 2; HULICK, Albe 1-3 0-0 2; RYAN, Kevin 1-2 0-0 2; HORI, Jay 0-1 0-0 0; DOYLEY, Ramond 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-49 9-15 55. BENMBB06...................... 23 36 - 59 Hartwick...................... 23 32 - 55 3-point goals-BENMBB06 10-21 (HARRISON, Matt 5-10; FUDGE, Alan 3-5; DUSNMORE, Jordan 1-2; SHIMKUS, Mike 1-1; SWANSON, Tim 0-2; GAGE, Jacob 0-1), Hartwick 4-11 (KINDLON, Tim 2-6; COCOZIELLO, Jan 1-2; BROWN, Anthony 1-1; LANFEAR, Alex 0-1; HULICK, Albe 0-1). Fouled out--BENMBB06-FRANKLIN, Jimmy; DUSNMORE, Jordan; OLSON, Andrew; HARRISON, Matt; SWANSON, Tim; VAUGHN, Rob; FUDGE, Alan; SHIMKUS, Mike; MEDINA, David; JONES, Matt; HAMILTON, Aaron; McCONKEY, Justin; BURRAGE, Chris;;;;; TEAM; CARWELL, Jake; GOODMAN, Aaron;; GAGE, Jacob; BAILEY, Jared;;;;;;; MEEGAN, Ryan, Hartwick-SIMONESCHI, Matt; DOYLEY, Ramond; HULICK, Albe; BROWN, Anthony; COCOZIELLO, Jan; DILLS, Jeff; HORI, Jay; DUNNIGAN, Pat; LANFEAR, Alex;;;;; TEAM; BANKOWSKI, Greg; PELZEK, Adam; TRACY, Mike; MONTANA, John; BEAULIEU, AJ;;;;;;;;;; RYAN, Kevin; KINDLON, Tim. Rebounds-BENMBB06 35 (SWANSON, Tim 8), Hartwick 37 (BROWN, Anthony 13). Assists-BENMBB06 13 (FUDGE, Alan 3), Hartwick 6 (KINDLON, Tim 2; COCOZIELLO, Jan 2; SIMONESCHI, Matt 2). Total fouls-BENMBB06 17, Hartwick 17. D3 Desert Classic, Semifinal Game Hartwick will face Hood (Md.) College in conso tomorrow 11:00 am Benedictine will face Defiance (Ohio) in championshiop 1:15 pm