Junior guard Greg Cole (Terrytown, NY) led WestConn with 29 points including 17 in the first 20 minutes of play. During that stretch, the Colonials, 7-4 overall, would hold their biggest lead, 24 points, 48-24 with 1:34 left in the stanza.
WestConn took a 48-27 lead into intermission following a three pointer by Naeem Mahmood (Montville, NJ).
Fortunately for the Hawks, there was still the second half to make the game respectable.
Hunter, 1-0 on the season, would outscore the Colonials 24-7 over the opening 11 minutes of the second half and cut its deficit to four points, 55-51. Mahmood capped off the run with a jumper along the baseline.
The Colonials built their lead back up to 10 points before the Hawks drew back to within four points, 64-60 with 3:39 remaining in the game.
That would be the closest they would get as WestConn pulled away over the final two minutes of play.
Tony Peluso (Southbury, CT) added 10 points for the winners.
Mahmood led the way for the Hawks with 19 points. Nelson Pierre (Brooklyn, NY) added 16 points and a game-high 10 rebounds off the back for Hunter.
NOTES: WestConn shot 44% (18 of 41) from the field in the first half and dropped to 35% shooting (9 of 26) in the second half. Both teams ended up shooting 40% on the night from the floor.
HUNTER vs Western Connecticut 01/04/06 7 pm at Danbury, Conn. - Feldman Arena WESTERN CONNECTICUT 81, HUNTER 70 HUNTER (1-10) Mahmood, Naeem 5-15 8-10 19; Pierre, Nelson 7-10 2-6 16; Greenberg, Danny 4-9 0-0 9; Swift, Patrick John 3-9 1-2 8; Dolar, Rommell 3-7 0-0 7; Morris, Brian 2-7 1-1 6; Stewart, Tyrone 1-2 1-2 3; Almonacy, Lee 1-6 0-0 2; Thomas, Stephen 0-0 0-0 0; Bollettieri, Jared 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-65 13-21 70. WESTERN CONNECTICUT (7-4) Greg Cole 9-19 6-6 29; Tony Peluso 5-6 0-0 10; Jamie Procino 2-6 2-4 7; Kyle Norfleet 0-1 7-10 7; Andrew Snell 3-5 0-0 7; Jamaal Robinson 2-6 1-4 5; Dashon Jennings 2-8 0-0 5; Jason Barnett 1-6 2-2 4; Vincent Pasciucco 1-2 0-0 3; Torian Kendall 1-2 0-0 2; Marcus Mann 1-5 0-2 2; Kevin Marchant 0-1 0-2 0; Anthony Simone 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-67 18-30 81. HUNTER........................ 27 43 - 70 Western Connecticut........... 48 33 - 81 3-point goals-HUNTER 5-15 (Greenberg, Danny 1-2; Morris, Brian 1-3; Dolar, Rommell 1-1; Swift, Patrick John 1-5; Mahmood, Naeem 1-3; Almonacy, Lee 0-1), Western Connecticut 9-26 (Greg Cole 5-15; Jamie Procino 1-2; Andrew Snell 1-3; Vincent Pasciucco 1-2; Dashon Jennings 1-3; Kyle Norfleet 0-1). Fouled out--HUNTER-Swift, Patrick John; Mahmood, Naeem, Western Connecticut-Jason Barnett. Rebounds-HUNTER 37 (Pierre, Nelson 10), Western Connecticut 50 (Jamaal Robinson 9). Assists-HUNTER 13 (Dolar, Rommell 7), Western Connecticut 15 (Tony Peluso 2; Jamie Procino 2; Andrew Snell 2; Kyle Norfleet 2; Jason Barnett 2). Total fouls-HUNTER 25, Western Connecticut 20. A-100