MIDDLETOWN, CONN. — Hunter College women's basketball senior guard Alexa Charles reached a historic milestone on Saturday evening, surpassing 2,000 career points as the Hawks fell to Wesleyan (CT), 65–57, in the opening game of the Courtyard by Marriott Classic.
Charles entered the matchup just 10 points shy of the 2,000-point mark and quickly asserted herself as Hunter's offensive engine. The senior poured in a game-high 24 points on 10-for-25 shooting, knocking down a pair of threes while adding 13 rebounds, three assists, and two steals in a full 37-minute performance. Her layup early in the second quarter officially made her the fourth Hawk in program history to eclipse the 2,000-point plateau.
Hunter (2–1) stayed within striking distance throughout the contest, with Charles sparking the offense from the opening tip. After Wesleyan opened the game with a pair of threes, Charles responded with a driving layup and later assisted on free throws from Makkedah Murray as the Hawks battled to a 12–12 tie mid-quarter. Charles added another pair of buckets to help Hunter build a brief 12–8 advantage before the Cardinals closed the frame on an 11–0 run.
The second quarter opened with Hunter leaning again on its veteran guard, as Charles knocked down a jumper and later assisted on Gianna Henriques' mid-range shot to trim the deficit to three. With 7:40 on the clock, Charles carved through the lane for the layup that pushed her over the 2,000-point milestone, momentarily shifting momentum back to the Hawks. Despite a string of defensive stops and a three-pointer from Ali Drake to even the score at 23–23, Wesleyan responded with a late push to take a 30–23 lead into halftime.
Wesleyan extended its advantage to double digits early in the third, but Hunter surged back behind Charles' dominance on the glass and in transition. She scored three straight baskets to trim the deficit to nine, then helped generate fast-break points with steals and outlet passes as Hunter pulled within 39–30 at the midway point. The Hawks continued their push with buckets from Murray and Fuller, pulling to within seven before another late Wesleyan run kept the hosts in front, 46–39.
Charles opened the fourth quarter with a deep three, sparking an 8–2 run that brought Hunter as close as 48–50. Murray later drilled a three off a Charles assist to make it a two-point game again. But despite multiple defensive stops, Wesleyan capitalized on second-chance points and key free throws in the final minutes to hold off the Hawks' comeback bid.
Mia Fuller contributed nine points, five assists and two steals, while Kennedy DeRuy added seven points for Hunter. Murray chipped in six points and four rebounds. Henriques added four points, five boards, and a block.
The Hawks continue Courtyard by Marriott Classic play on Sunday against Albertus Magnus at 1 p.m.
