DURHAM, N.H. – Senior Alex Hall led all players in the game with 15 points and classmate Ruthanne Doherty became the newest member of the 1,000 point club, but the Hartford women's basketball team dropped a 51-49 decision on the road at New Hampshire on Wednesday night. The Hawks fall to 17-10 overall and 8-6 in America East play.

Hall, who was playing in her home state for the final time as a collegian, finished the night shooting 5-of-7 from the field and 5-of-7 at the line. Her team finished the contest shooting 34.7 percent from the field on 17-of-49. Doherty and Daphne Elliott finished second and third overall with eight and seven points, respectively.

Both teams struggled from beyond the arc with Hartford held without a three pointer for the first time in 42 games. The Hawks were unable to connect on nine total attempts from beyond 19 feet six inches. The Wildcats finished 2-of-8 (25.0 percent) from long range and overall for the game shot 41.5 percent (17-of-41) on their home floor.

The teams finished in a dead heat on the rebounding battle with 34 apiece. Nikkia Smith and Katie Roth led the Hawks with six rebounds each while Morgan Frame led the Wildcats and all players in the game with nine boards. Defensively, Hartford forced 15 New Hampshire turnovers and turned those miscues into 15 points while committing just 11 turnovers.  

The Wildcats opened the contest scoring three of the first four baskets taking an early 6-2 lead with 14:53 remaining. The Hawks answered that deficit by rattling off 11 straight to take their first lead of the game 13-6. Elliott and Doherty led the way in the run scoring five and four, respectively. The second basket for Doherty was also her 1,000^th career point, becoming the 13th player in school history to score 1,000 or more points.

New Hampshire answered the Hawks run with one of their own, scoring 10 straight to regain a 16-13 lead with 6:42 remaining before the intermission. The Wildcats run included back-to-back baskets from Kaylee Kilpatrick as well as Lauren Wells.

The Hawks ended that run with a pair of free throws from Amber Bepko before taking the lead, 17-16 on a layup from senior Hall with 3:25 remaining in the half. After trading the next two baskets and leads the Wildcats went on to score the final four points of the half, all on buckets from Frame.

At the break, the Hawks were led by Elliott's five points with Doherty's four second overall. Five other players all scored two points. Overall, Hartford shot 33.3 percent in the first half on 8-of-24, while the Wildcats finished 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) in the opening half. New Hampshire led the battle of the boards in the first period with a 17-14 advantage.

After Hartford opened the second half scoring with a fast break layup from Taylor Clark off a pass ahead from Bepko, the Wildcats went on to score the next five, including a three pointer from Kelsey Hogan that provided the largest UNH lead in the game 27-21.

Hartford then used an eight minute stretch where it scored 15 of 21 points to regain a lead not possessed since the eighth minute of the game. In that stretch, Hall led the way with eight points which pushed her over the double digit plateau for the 27th time in her career. That stretch for the Hawks led to a 36-32 advantage with 7:49 remaining.

UNH answered by scoring the next four points to tie the game at 36, but the Hawks maintained the advantage hitting 3-of-4 at the line to take a 39-36 lead with 5:57 remaining. Hogan then tied the game at 39 with a three pointer for the Wildcats, but the Hawks again maintained the lead when Hall answered with a jumper seven seconds later. That jump shot for Hall was the first two points in a stretch of five straight that led to a 44-39 Hartford lead with 4:39 remaining.

The Wildcats responded by holding Hartford without a basket until six seconds remained and in the meantime managed a 51-47 lead with just one basket and hitting 10-of-14 at the free throw line in the final 2:36. Hartford would get a put-back bucket from Doherty with six seconds remaining and Alyssa Englert forced a turnover on the ensuing Wildcat inbound play, but the Hawks were unable to get a shot off in the final four seconds as New Hampshire scored the 51-49 victory.

The Hawks will play their final road contest of the season after a six day break when they travel to UMBC on Wednesday, February 27. The Hawks and Retrievers are scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. tip at The RAC.