BOULDER, Colo. – After spending a week away from the basketball court, the University of Hartford men's basketball team dove back in headfirst, visiting Colorado, a 2012 NCAA Tournament Team, out of the Pac-12. The Buffaloes controlled the action from the outset at the Coors Events Center as it defeated the University of Hartford men's basketball team, 80-52, on Saturday afternoon.

Freshman Evan Cooper led the team with 14 points after shooting 5-of-8 from the field including 3-of-5 from three-point land. Sophomore Mark Nwakamma, who added seven points, pulled down a team-best eight rebounds.

The Hawks, who conclude the non-conference portion of their schedule at 7-6, have posted the most out-of-league wins since 1989-90 (9) and will carry a record above.500 into America East Conference play for the first time in 16 years.

The Buffaloes (10-2) never trailed in the game, paced by 21 points by Josh Scott and 19 by Askia Booker.

A team that entered the afternoon shooting 42.3 percent from the field through its first 12 games, the Hawks were uncharacteristic on Saturday as they could not get their shots around the rim to fall early. Hartford was cold out of the gates, missing its five attempts, and shot just 7-of-27 (25.9%) in the first stanza, 16 percentage points below its season average.

The game was decided early as Colorado scored the first 11 points after missing just one of its first five shots in the first 4:15. A three-pointer by Cooper nearly five minutes in put Hartford on the scoreboard for the first time and ended the bleeding, but it wasn't enough as the Buffaloes surged for a 15-3 run to move ahead by 20 points at 26-6 with 8:56 left in the half.

An undersized squad compared to that of Colorado, the Hawks relied heavily on their three-point game, especially in the first half. In that opening stretch, all 21 of Hartford's points came from downtown, where it made 7-of-13 shots (53.8%). The Hawks finished the game with a season-high 13 threes on 41.9 percent shooting from behind the arc.

With Hartford's frontcourt struggling early after combining to shoot 1-of-13 from the floor, freshman Parker U'u picked up the slack by connecting on 3-of-4 of his attempts for nine first half points, a career-high. That proved to be a team-high at the halftime break as Cooper was the only other player with more than three points, registering six.

A three-ball by Andrew Roberson at the buzzer provided the Buffaloes with a 45-21 halftime advantage and gave the junior a double-double heading into the break. One of two Colorado players to have double figures in both points and rebounds on the afternoon, he finished with 14 points and 14 boards        

Colorado continued to rally and took its largest lead of the game (68-31) with 11:58 left on the clock. The Hawks showed some life down the stretch, though, as they went on a 12-0 spurt over the next 3:11 to trim that 37 point deficit down to 25 with 8:20 to go. That run was triggered by a Nwakamma jumpshot at 11:41 and sophomore Wes Cole kept it going with back-to-back threes during the stretch. Colorado was held without a field goal for more than six minutes until a put back by Scott made it 72-43 at the 6:03 mark.

The Hawks attempted just four free throws compared to the Buffaloes' 23. Nwakamma and U'u combined for eight of the team's 13 season-best steals after swiping four apiece.

All 14 players got into the game for Hartford, which opens conference play at home against Binghamton on Wed., Jan. 2 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are still available by calling the Malcolm and Brenda Berman Athletics Ticket Office at 860.768-HAWK or by visiting www.HartfordHawksTickets.com.