Today’s game lived up to the AMCC Game of the Week billing.

After taking a five-point lead to the locker room, the Hilbert College Men’s Basketball team hit a dry spell the first seven minutes after the break and fell in an 83-74 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference game against the undefeated Redhawks from La Roche University.

The Redhawks shifted gears in the second half and ran their offense to the rim as opposed to settling for shots from the perimeter as they did the first twenty minutes.  Hilbert continued to pound the ball in the paint both halves and were successful except for a short stretch early in the second half when La Roche pulled away.

HIGHLIGHTS

Edward Perez (3 assists) earned his fifth double-double of the season, paring 18 points and 10 rebounds, earning game-high honors with four on the offensive glass.  Perez went 8-for-17, the first time this season he led the team in field goal attempts and pulled down all four offensive rebounds as the Hawks fought back into the game late. 

Quran Briggs led Hilbert with 21 points, with one stretch carrying the Hawks to the 37-32 lead at intermission and Eric Jackson added 11 points and nine rebounds while dishing a team-best four assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• La Roche scored first off the tip and then each team took turns trading baskets the first eight minutes of the first half.
• The Redhawks started the game in man with defensive trapping on high pick and rolls before they switched to a 1-3-1 defense while the Hawks defended with their own zone or man-to-man defense.
• There were five occasions where the score was tied and four lead changes until La Roche built an 18-14 score at 11:51.
• Perez finished a three-point play to pull within one point, but the Redhawks hit a three-pointer on their next trip to go back up by four.
• Austin Boies responded immediately for Hilbert to inch back to a 22-23 score.
• Three more lead changes happened and then Zach Miller hit two free throws which lifted Hilbert by two (28-26) at 5:59.
• The Hawks kept the lead through the rest of the half, with three different players lighting up the score board.
• La Roche opened the second half hitting back-to-back 3-pointers and took a 38-37 lead at 17:28.
• The Redhawks maintained a 2-possession separation on the scoreboard for four minutes but then built a double figure lead 57-47 with just under 12 minutes left in the game.
• La Roche continued to push the ball in transition and went from six first-half fast break points to 18 by the final horn.
• The Hawks battled back from a 14-point deficit and made it an 8-point game before surrendering a late-game free throw to set the 83-74 final.

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert cooled from the opening first half shooting percentage (46.7%) to 43.3% after 40 minutes and hit 14-20 from the foul line.
• La Roche improved their shooting as the game progressed after taking it to the rim the second half, going from 36.8% to 59.4% (47.1% for the game).
• Hilbert was tagged with 10 turnovers which La Roche converted into 20 points and the Redhawks out rebounded the hosts 83-74.
• Devon Darrell propelled La Roche to the win recording 26 points, (11-17 from field) seven assists and three rebounds. 

UP NEXT

Hilbert (4-2 AMCC) returns to the Hafner Recreation Center this Wednesday to host Pitt-Bradford (3-3) who just earned a three-point victory over Pitt-Greensburg this afternoon.  The Hawks will tip at 7pm against the Panthers January 25th.

Editor’s Note: This story was shared with The Scribe by the Hilbert Athletics Department