Brooklyn, NY - Despite four players scoring in double figures, Hunter College men's basketball fell short against Medgar Evers on Tuesday evening, falling with a score of 97-89 at The Cougars Cave. The Hawks are now 1-12 overall and 1-4 in CUNYAC play.

Brian Kruger scored his 1,000th career point in the first half of the game, leading the Hawks with a total of 21 points. Alex Mattina followed with 17 points and Matt Franks earned a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. Bryan Silvera added ten points in the loss.

The Cougars took the early lead in the game, immediately scoring 11-straight points to make the score 11-0 at the 15:20 minute-mark. The Hawks rallied back to trail by just five points with ten minutes left in the first half. A three-pointer from Mattina would close the deficit to just four points in the last minute of the half, but Medgar Evers still managed to get points on the board and lead 40-34 at halftime.

Hunter started the second half strong, scoring six points in the first minute, but the Cougars would go on a 8-0 run to pull ahead by 13 points at the 17:43 minute-mark. Eight-straight free throws kept the Hawks in the game and then baskets from Silvera and Franks allowed them to trail by just three points. 

The Cougars soon led by as much as 13 points with six minutes to play as the Hawks did their best to chip away at the lead. Back-to-back three pointers from Kruger and Franks engnited a comeback for Hunter as they cut the lead to just five points with 3:35 left in the game.

It would not be enough as Medgar-Evers maintained their dominance through the rest of the game, getting the win with a score of 97-89.

The Hawks will return to action on Friday, Jan. 8 when they host York College at 7 p.m. at the Hunter Sportsplex.