HAMBURG, N.Y. – It might have been a great comeback story… had they not run out of time.
 
After digging a 36-point hole to the Hilbert Hawks seven minutes into the second half, it looked like it would be an "end-of-the bench" finish to the game.
 
But in a testament to the team's fortitude, Houghton never quit.
 
With 7:30 remaining, the Hawks still led by 32 points.  Then a pair of free throws by Johnathan Stowe and a three-pointer by Phil Pellegrino sent the Highlanders on a 19-0 run, cutting the lead to 13 with two minutes left to play. 
 
Jalen Smith, however, sank four consecutive free throws, and the Highlanders scored only once more, ending what might have been a tremendous comeback, 84-69.
 
Game Vitals
Score: Houghton – 69 | Hilbert – 84
Records: Houghton: 2-1 | Hilbert: 3-1
Venue: The Hafner Recreation Center, Hilbert College | Attendance: 176

Key Moments
>> Hilbert jumped out to an early 10-2 lead, and built that margin to more than 13 midway through the first half.  The Hawks led by as many as 21 before Houghton slowed clawed back into contention, trimming the deficit to 16 heading into the break.
 
>> The Hawks came out scorching hot in the second half, scoring the first nine points before exploding through a 24-2 run.
 
Key Stats
>> The Hawks shot a white-hot 59 percent from the floor (30-51), including 54 percent (7-13) from beyond the 3-point line.
>> Dylan Lambert scored 22 points to lead the Highlanders and Pellegrino chipped in 12.
>> John Nelson scored nine points on a perfect 3-3 from the floor and 3-3 from the line.  He also pulled down five rebounds.
>> Smith and David Arlaud led the Hawks with 26 and 18 points, respectively.
 
Next Time Out
After taking the next week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, Houghton will travel to Buffalo to Villa Maria College to take on the Vikings at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30.  Houghton defeated the Vikings in their first-ever meeting last season, 94-70.  In their second season as a program, Villa Maria currently owns a 3-5 record.