POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Vassar men's basketball team kept it a two-point game at halftime, but the Hawks used an 11-0 run to start the second to pull away for the 68-59 victory on Saturday afternoon. Junior Hugh Durham (Savannah, GA) and freshman Ethan Ellis (Silver Spring, MD) led the Brewers with 12 points each, while Hartwick's Tommy Kelly netted a game-high 28 points.
 
With the loss, Vassar slips to 1-2, and Hartwick moves to 5-1.
 
The Hawks jumped out to an early 5-0 lead before Zach Bromfeld (Woodmere, NY) grabbed an offensive board and laid it back in. He then scored off a jumper on the next Brewers' possession to cut the lead to 5-4. Hartwick would then take a six-point lead before threes from Durham and Ellis tied the game 10-10. The game would stay within five-points for the remainder of the half, and Vassar pulled ahead 24-19 after a Jack Rothenberg (Yardley, PA) free throw.
 
Th Hawks went on to tie the game 26-26 with three minutes remaining, but the game went back-and-forth from there. Hartwick knocked down a triple with five seconds left to hold a two-point lead heading into the break.
 
Hartwick came out firing in the second half and went up 44-34 before Bromfeld split a pair of free throws. Kelly dropped a triple right after to push the lead to 13. The Hawks would lead by as much as 16 before a three-pointer from Josh Brownridge (New York, NY) spurred a 14-2 Vassar run. In the span, Durham and Ellis connected for treys each, and Zach Johnson (San Francisco, CA) found an inside layup to cut it to 49-53.
 
The Brewers pulled within two after another Durham triple, but the Hawks responded right away. In the final minute, the Hawks led by five and Vassar was forced to foul. Hartwick connected on six free throw attempts to hold on for the win.
 
Durham connected for 3-of-5 three pointers, while Ellis shot 4-of-8 from the field. Bromfeld added nine points with a team-high nine boards and two blocks. Johnson finished with seven points and five rebounds. Freshman Joey Sacco (Ocean City, NJ) dished out three assists.
 
Kelly shot 8-of-13 for the Hawks with 6-of-7 behind the arc. Pat Garey was second on the team with 13 points. Bobby Connors led the day with 13 rebounds.
 
Vassar continues their homestand after Thanksgiving break when they welcome FDU-Florham to the AFC on Tues. Dec. 3 at 7 p.m.