FREDONIA, N.Y. – The Hilbert College men's basketball team got back on the winning track tonight after they earned an 80-72 non-conference victory at Fredonia State.

THE BASICS              

• Final Score:  Hilbert 80 | Fredonia 72
• Location: Dods Hall, Fredonia, NY
• Records: Hawks 2-2 | Fredonia 0-3

HIGHLIGHTS
 

• Senior G Shawn Gashi and freshman G Quran Briggs tossed in career highs wearing the royal and white tonight.  Gashi led with 20 points, hitting 50-percent from downtown while adding seven assists and three steals.  Briggs connected on 7-of-10 from the floor, collecting 17 points, and two assists off the bench.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• Fredonia jumped out of the gate with a long-ball off the opening tip and they alternated between a one-possession to two-possession lead until the Hawks went on a five-point run fueled by Nathan Moore's 3-pointer at 12:12.  Quran Briggs knocked down a jumper on the Hawks next trip and took their first lead, 20-19 at 11:40.
• The Blue Devils tilted the score in their favor one more time, but after that, Hilbert was in control the rest of the half, outscoring Fredonia 24-18 before intermission.
• Seven different Hawks chipped in on the scoreboard, highlighted by Shaheem Ellis' seven points as well as Gashi's old-fashioned 3-point play.   
• Hilbert withstood the Blue Devils' come-back rally in the second half, never relinquishing the lead as they fought back when Fredonia sliced the margin twice to just one point.
• A Briggs jumper gave Hilbert a three-point cushion at 13:43 after the hosts pulled within one point (50-49).  Fredonia converted in the paint their next possession pulling within one point again.  But Briggs struck from downtown the next offensive cycle and  gave Hilbert the momentum they needed for the win.
• The Hawks went back up by nine points with just under two minutes left in regulation and needed that led as they made only 4-for-8 at the charity stripe down the stretch.
   

GAME NOTES

• Hilbert finished the game hitting 49.2-percent of their field goal attempts but struggled at the line hitting 11-of-24 free throws.  The Hawks grabbed 39 rebounds and committed 11 turnovers.
• Fredonia converted 43.3 percent from the field, made 16-of-23 free throws, pulled down 38 rebounds and committed 13 turnovers.  
• Fredonia  held a 13-6 advantage in points off turnovers, 38-32 in points in the paint and 15-10 in 2nd chance points. 
• The Hawks bench came up big tonight doubling the reserves from Fredonia, 43-23.  Hilbert also edged the hosts 20-12 in fast-break points.
• Edward Perez gave an all-around effort pairing six points with seven rebounds and  six assists. Elijah Powell chipped in eight points and eight rebounds, while Shaheem Ellis added nine points.

 WHAT'S NEXT

The Hawks hit the road again this weekend when they travel to Steubenville, OH for a non-conference game at Franciscan University November 20th with tip set for 2:30pm