Associated Press, December 28, 2017

PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) John Carroll scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Hassan Attia scored 11 points to go with another nine rebounds as Hartford pulled off its first win at Rutgers, nipping the Scarlet Knights 60-58 on Thursday night.

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Rutgers needed a late 20-5 run to recover from a 13-point deficit late and hold off Hartford last season.

J.R. Lynch and Jason Dunne each had 14 points and combined to hit six 3s for the Hawks.

Hartford (7-7) took at 39-35 lead with 15 minutes left in the game and pushed it to 43-36. Rutgers eventually took the lead at 55-53 with 2:34 left on a Mike Williams 3-pointer. Hartford tied the game at 55 before taking the lead on a dunk by Attia.

Corey Sanders and Mike Williams came off bench to spark Rutgers with 17 and 13 points, respectively.

Drawing a backcourt foul, Sanders hit three free throws to get the Scarlett Knights (10-5) within one, 59-58 with :47 left, but missed a jumper with :14 left for the lead. Jason Dunne hit the first of two free throws to create the final margin.

UP NEXT

Hartford: Open America East Conference play at Albany on Wednesday.

Rutgers: Returns to Big Ten play at No. 14 Purdue on Wednesday.

BIG PICTURE

Hartford: The Hawks got back to .500 with a big win heading into conference play with a win over a Power 5 team, their fourth win in the last five games.

Rutgers: Since upsetting No. 23 Seton Hall, Rutgers now has lost two back-to-back non-conference games, including an overtime loss to Stony Brook, where second-year Steve Pikiell last coached. Rutgers is 0-2 in Big Ten play.