BKC–Hartford-Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Malik Ellison scored 16 points and Hunter Marks hit a jumper with 1.4 seconds left and blocked the final shot attempt as Hartford beat Northwestern 67-66 on Sunday.

Miroslav Stafl added 15 points and Marks had 10 for the Hawks’ third straight win.

Miller Kopp led Northwestern with 24 points, including 17 after halftime. Ryan Young and Boo Buie each had 14 for the Wildcats, one of the youngest teams in the country.

Northwestern inbounded the ball up the court to Young before Marks blocked his final shot attempt.

Hartford (7-7) shot 56% from the field compared to Northwestern’s 37% in the teams’ first meeting. The Hawks went 7 for 20 from 3-point range while Northwestern (5-7) was 6 for 22 from beyond the arc in its non-conference finale.

Buie shot 5 for 14 after he averaged 25.5 points on 62% shooting in Northwestern’s last two games.

The Wildcats have lost four of five.

Northwestern went on an 8-2 run to start to pull away in the final minutes. Layups from Stafl and Marks pushed Hartford within a point with 52.1 seconds left.

After a Northwestern turnover, Marks scored under the basket to give Hartford the lead for good.

The Hawks picked up a technical foul on a delay of game warning with 12:35 remaining after receiving a flopping warning earlier. Pat Spencer made the free throw to cut the Hawks’ lead to 48-44.

Hartford led 37-31 at halftime after shooting 60.9% from the field to Northwestern’s 35.7%. The Wildcats went on a 13-3 run before Hartford responded with an 18-6 run capped by Mitchell’s four-point play.

BIG PICTURE

Hartford improves to 2-5 all-time against Big Ten teams. The Hawks are 0-3 against Penn State and 1-2 against Rutgers.

Northwestern is showing its inexperience. The Wildcats — the youngest team in the Big Ten — ends the non-conference schedule on a low note.

INJURIES

Anthony Gaines, a junior guard, missed his second consecutive game for Northwestern due to a shoulder injury.

UP NEXT

Hartford plays its non-conference finale Dec. 31 at Bowling Green.

Northwestern visits Minnesota on Jan. 5.