Men's Basketball Holds Off Hartwick, 73-68
MEN'S BASKETBALL HOLDS OFF HARTWICK, 73-68
CHICOPEE, MA, Dec. 2, 2006 - Junior forward Renato Lindmets (Springfield, MA) dropped in a team-high 20 points to lead four Elms College players in double figures, and the Blazers held off a furious rally in the final minute to post a 73-68 win over Hartwick College in Saturday afternoon's non-conference men's basketball game at the Maguire Center.
With the win, Elms College snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 3-2. Hartwick saw its four-game winning streak snapped as it fell to 4-2.
Elms College led 69-61 with 48 seconds remaining following a pair of free throws by senior point guard John Ancrum (Harlem, NY).
Hartwick then began its rally six seconds later with a pair of free throws by sophomore guard Jan Cocozziello (Scotch Plains, NJ) to pull the Hawks to within 69-63.
Cocozziello followed with two more free throws with 30 seconds remaining, then drained a 3-pointer 14 seconds later to cut the Hawks' deficit to 69-68.
Hartwick, however, could get no closer, as senior guard
Bill Beauregard (Ware, MA) knocked 
down a pair of free throws and junior forward Nate Hawes
(New Hope, MN) and junior guard Randy Hite
(Hartford, CT) each added a free throw in the final
seconds to seal the victory.
Saturday's first-ever meeting between the two teams featured 11 ties and six lead changes.
Despite picking up his fourth foul with 16:40 remaining in the game, Cocozziello was stellar for the Hawks, as he led all scorers with 27 points, including 20 after intermission.
Junior forward Cory Carson (Gansvoort, NY) tallied 18 points and sophomore forward Albe Hulick (Greenville, NY) added 14 points as the other two players to reach double figures for Hartwick.
Senior guard David Williams (Hartford, CT) registered 11 points and four assists, senior point guard John Ancrum (Harlem, NY) recorded 10 points and dished out a game-high five assists, and Hite added 10 points as all reached double figures for the Blazers in Saturday's victory.
Elms College returns to non-conference play at Brandeis University on Monday, December 4. Game time is 7:00 p.m.