HARTFORD, Conn. – Senior Kenny Adeleke had 18 points and three other Hawks scored in the double figures as the University of Hartford beat the University of Maine 76-72 Saturday.

Adeleke also had 12 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. Ernest Turner led Maine (1-5, 0-1 America East) with 22 points.

The Hawks (3-2, 1-0 America East) jumped out to a quick 13-2 lead in the first five minutes while Maine was plagued by early foul trouble.

But the Black Bears came back to tie it 21-21 with 7:30 to play in the half.

Maine took the lead a minute later on a 3-pointer from Turner and increased the margin to four on a 3-pointer by Freddy Petkus, but the Hawks responded and took a 35-34 halftime lead.

Maine’s Philippe Tchekane Bofia scored five unanswered points to open the half, but the Hawks with five of their own and an Aaron Cook basket gave them a 40-39 lead with 17:54 left.

The teams continued to trade baskets until the Hawks opened up a six-point lead and pushed it to 61-51 with 7:01 left in the game.

Hartford’s Cook finished with 16 points while Bernard Lowndes added a season-high 11 points and five rebounds. Junior Bo Taylor also chipped in with 10 points.

Jon Sheets and Chris Bruff finished in double figures for Maine with 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Maine hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final 30 seconds to cut Hartford’s eight-point lead to two, but could get not closer after that.

HAWKS 76, BLACK BEARS 72

Maine (1-5) Hartford (3-2-)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

R. Turner 3 7 1 3 9 Cook 6 9 16

E. Turner 7 17 5 5 22 Ruffin 2 9 6

Sheets 4 9 2 2 14 Baker 2 4 8

Ahvenniemi 0 0 1 2 0 Adeleke 5 7 14 18

Tchkne Bofia 3 6 1 3 7 Tafo 0 1 0

Bruff 1 2 8 8 10 Carter 1 7 3

Hight 0 0 0 0 0 Ford 2 4 4

Petkus 2 4 3 3 9 Lowndes 4 5 11

Scales 0 0 0 0 0 Symonds 0 0 0

Cavanaugh 0 0 0 0 0 Glowiak 0 0 0

Cole 0 0 0 0

Taylor 5 7 0 10

Zimnickas 0 0 0

Totals 20 45 21 26 72 27 53 18 27 76

Maine 34 72

Hartford 35 76

3-pt. goals – Maine (11-26): R. Turner 2-6, E. Turner 3-8, Sheets 4-7, Bruff 0-1, Petkus 2-4; Hartford (4-14): Cook 2-5, Ruffin 0-1, Baker 1-2, Carter 1-4, Ford 0-2

Attendance: 1,152