HAMBURG, N.Y. – Hilbert College suffered a 71-59 non-conference loss to Nazareth College tonight in women's basketball.  The Hawks gave up the second highest amount of points this season with 21 of them coming at the foul line.

Hilbert played catch-up for most of the game as they trailed 21-13 after the first quarter and 38-32 by half time.  Both team shot the ball well in the first half posting 41% or better from the field.  Nazareth gained the upper-hand thanks to their 7-of-13 shooting from beyond the 3-point line.

Hilbert found their offensive punch after the break and out-scored the Golden Flyers 16-6 in the third quarter and took a 48-44 lead into the final session.   Ashley Repine knotted the game at 38-38 midway through the third period.  The Hawks forced three more tied-score situations before Ebert broke through the glass ceiling and gave the hosts a four-point lead.

Hilbert maintained their edge for almost three minutes into the final quarter, but at 7:19 Nazareth jumped up 52-51 and never looked back. 

The Hawks committed seven fourth-quarter fouls which the Golden Flyers converted into 13 free points from the charity stripe.  Hilbert tallied only 11 points in the final ten-minute period while the visitors put together a 27-point closing stat-line.

Hilbert slumped with a second-half, 28.6% field goal effort and closed the game hitting only 14-of-24 free throws (58.3%). 

Kelsi Ebert made 9-of-12 from the foul line and led with 16 points.  She added four assists and four steals in the 40-minute game.  Emily Gawlak made 3-of-5 from deep which lifted her to 13 points and Ashley Repine finished with 11 points, eight rebounds and three assists.  Katelyn Proy added eight points (4-of-5 from floor) and all of Hilbert's four blocked shots.

Hilbert (7-5) returns to the Hafner Rec Center this Wednesday for another AMCC game against Penn State Behrend at 8pm. 

Then, playing their third game in six days, the Hawks will host Mt. Aloysius January 13 which has already being billed the "AMCC Game of the Week" since Mt. Aloysius is undefeated at 6-0 and Hilbert is right behind at 5-1.    

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