BOX SCORE New York, NY - Hunter College men's basketball got a win over the United States Merchant Marine Academy on Tuesday night, defeating the Mariners with a score of 66-56.

This was the Hawk's second-straight win, helping them to a 2-2 record so far this season.

The Mariners took the first lead of the game but it would not be for long as Lowell Stevens hit two-straight shots and Mamadou Sakho hit his first three-pointer of the game to give Hunter a 10-5 lead.

The score remained close with the Mariners tying it up at the 6:56 minute mark and then taking a three point lead with three minutes left in the half. Hunter's Amer Lukac went to work in the remaining time, scoring a layup and then hitting a shot from behind the arc at the buzzer to give the Purple and Gold a two point lead at halftime (29-27).

Lukac led all scorers with ten points in the first half as the Hawks recorded a 43.5 field goal percentage. 

Merchant Marine scored early in the second half to take back the lead, but Lukac continued to help out the Hawks by scoring nine points in the first seven minutes as Hunter led 40-36.

Sakho took over from there, scoring five-straight points for the Purple and Gold before the Mariners hit two shots of their own to trail by just two points at the 8:00 minute mark.

Leading by four with five minutes to play, Sakho caught on fire, giving Hunter a 10-point lead for their largest advantage of the game by hitting three-straight three-pointers over the span of two minutes. 

Hunter closed it out by scoring six free throws as the Hawks got the victory, 66-56.

Lukac led all scorers with 21 points, while Sakho scored 17, going 5-5 from behind the three-point line. The team recorded a 48.8 field goal percentage while holding the Mariners to 42.3 percent.

In attendance of the contest were Hunter basketball alumni, who celebrated the win with the players at a reception after the game. The squad returns to action on Nov. 29 when they travel to Brooklyn College for their first CUNYAC game of the season.


The current Hunter basketball team with alumni.