Box Score

Bronx, NY – Junior guard Rocco Rubino (Brooklyn, NY/Archbishop Molloy) scored 20 points, shooting 10-of-12 from the free-throw line as the Hawks simply dominated from start to finish, defeating Lehman College 85-67 on Friday night at the APEX in the Bronx, NY.

Hunter controlled the game from the tip, quickly running up an 11-0 lead. Then freshman guard Eric Klingsberg (Queens, NY/Holy Cross) hit a jumper with 10:55 on the clock to put the Hawks up 23-9, their largest lead of the first half. Trailing by 14 points, the Lightning did not give up as they rallied back and cut the lead to just six points, 36-30 heading into halftime.

Freshman guard Izzy Hoffman (Woodside, NY/Archbishop Molloy) opened the second half for the Hawks with a three-pointer that sparked a 19-4 run that was capped off with a lay-up by Rubino, giving Hunter a 55-34 lead with 17:08 still left in the game. Hunter would lead by double-figures the remainder of the game.

Sophomore forward Matthew Collazo (Sunnyside, NY/John Bowne) had his best game as a Hawk, scoring a season high 16 points, along with eight rebounds and three blocks. Also contributing to the Hawks victory tonight was Klingsberg who scored 15 points in 24 minutes off the bench, and junior guard Maxwell Dubois (Hollywood, FL/Dillard) who finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Lehman's leading scorer, Xavier Garvin, was limited to just seven minutes in the first half after accumulating three quick fouls. Garvin, who entered tonight's game averaging 16.7 points per game, scored just seven points, shooting 1-for-7 from the field and 5-of-6 from the free throw line in 25 minutes of action.

Hunter's defensive effort did not stop with just shutting down Garvin as the Hawks forced the Lightning to commit 23 turnovers that resulted in 33 points.

Tonight's victory improves Hunter to 3-1 in the CUNY Athletic Conference and 7-7 on the year, while the Lightning fall to 4-10 overall, 1-3 in conference play. Hunter now heads back to the Sportsplex where they are scheduled to host the 9-3 Richard Stockton Ospreys on Monday for a 6:00 p.m. non-conference game.