West Hartford, Conn. -- Morgan Sabia had 14 of his 16 points in the second half as Hartford downed UAlbany, 64-54, in the America East Conference opener for both teams on Saturday, Jan. 3 at Chase Arena at Reich Family Pavilion.

            Hartford (5-9, AE 0-1) led 51-49 with 5:52 remaining, but then broke the game open with nine straight points.  Andres Torres sank a pair of free throws, before Sabia made consecutive three-point field goals from the right corner and top of the arc.

            The Hawks, who reached last year's America East championship final for the first time and set the program's Division I record with 18 wins, held a working six-point margin for much of the second half.  Jaret von Rosenberg, who had all 13 of his points after halftime, hit a back-door layup for a 43-37 lead.  But UAlbany's Billy Allen later sliced the margin to one with a long-range jumper from the left wing.

            Michael Turner, a member of the conference's all-defensive team one year ago, and Sabia helped their team push out to a 51-44 advantage.  Sabia drilled a 3-pointer, before Turner made a 14-footer and two free throws.  UAlbany (8-6, AE 0-1) rallied behind Will Harris' three-point shot and two free throws by Brian Connelly, who finished with a season-high 14 points and seven rebounds.

            “The better team won today,” said UAlbany coach Will Brown, whose squad once again shot less than 40 percent, including 3-of-16 from beyond the arc.  “They make you defend for the entire possession and then break you down.  They played very well together.  You have to make shots against a team that is going to play a match-up zone against you for forty minutes.”

            Hartford reversed an early seven-point deficit to go ahead 14-12 when Genesis Maciel, a 6'9” freshman, converted a three-point play as he was fouled on a fastbreak layup.  The Hawks stretched that lead to 21-16 as Maciel canned a three-point field from right of the key.

            The Great Danes regrouped to go ahead 24-23 on consecutive baskets by Connelly, who was questionable coming in the contest with a left foot sprain.  Kevin Estes eventually gave Hartford a 27-25 halftime advantage when he scored off a pass over top of a full-court press.  Both teams struggled from the field in the period, shooting right around 36 percent.

            Harris, a 6-foot-6 junior who transferred from Virginia, had 17 points and a career-best 10 rebounds for the Great Danes, who dropped their second consecutive conference opener.  Hartford's Turner added 11 points and four assists.

            “We have done a lot of skill work to improve our shooting,” offered Connelly, who scored in double figures for the eighth time this season.  “We have talent and everyone can score the ball.  We need to stay patient.”