New York, NY – In dramatic fashion, the Hunter College men's basketball team picked up their second win of the season to conclude 2017 Homecoming with a 74-64 win over Brooklyn College. The win moves the Purple and Gold to 2-4 overall, 1-0 in conference play while the Bulldogs remain winless at 0-6, 0-1 CUNYAC.
The Hawks were led by sophomore guard
George Keener, who accounted for 19 points behind 7-for-12 shooting from the field. Four additional teammates chipped in double-digit points, as
Danny Fusco and
Matt Franks scored 17 apiece and
Amer Lukac and
Gio Gabbidon were responsible for 11 and 10 points, respectively. For the Bulldogs, Maynard Grant IV put up a team-high 15 points.
The first half was evenly contested all the way through as either team went ahead by more than four points. Back-to-back made free throws from Keener and a lay in by Franks knotted the game at nine apiece before Henry O'Reilly drilled a trey to give Brooklyn the three-point lead. Once again, Franks' triple the hard way brought them even once again. Trailing by four with 8:13 left to play in the first, a Fusco layup sparked a 6-0 run that gave the Purple and Gold the two-point upper hand. Brooklyn's Maynard Grant IV sank a field goal in the closing minutes to send the Bulldogs up 32-30 at the half.
Coming out of the half, the Purple and Gold evened the score at 32 all, but the Bulldogs did not shy from the contest as they knocked down back-to-back threes to contribute to a four-point lead. With 14:25 showing on the clock, the score was knotted at 42-42 but it's the last it would be even. Lukac's layup gave the Hawks a two-point lead and they would never look back as the advantage grew to as much as 12. Brooklyn got within two on several occasions but the Hawks pulled away over the final minute, connecting on each of their last six free throws to secure the win.
The Hawks return to action on Tuesday, December 5 when they travel to Brooklyn to take on the Cougars of Megar Evers College. First tip in the CUNYAC matchup will take place at 7pm.
