HAMBURG, N.Y. - The Hilbert College men's basketball team got back on the right track with an 81-61 non-conference victory over Alfred State this afternoon in the Hafner Recreation Center. With the win, the Hawks improve to 12-2 on the season and dropped the Pioneers to 4-11.

Jerame Owens production in the paint helped the Hawks battle back from a double-digit deficit to finally take their first lead after fifteen minutes of plays in the first half.

Owens went to the break with double-nines as in points and rebounds to lead all players. He closed the game with 21 points (7-11 from the floor and 7-8 at the foul line) along with 17 rebounds, five assists, and single block and four steals in 19 minutes of action.

Jalen Smith got his shooting touch back as he netted 15 points while David Arlaud found his rhythm before the break to toss in 10 tallies for the game.

Kirkland Ottey ran the point most of the second half and dished four assists in the team-high 31 minutes.

The Hawks shot 15-of-17 at the charity stripe and 46.3 percent from the floor. They struggled from down town (26.7%) but Kyle Kline and Jonathan Jackson sank their only attempt credited with 50% of Hilbert's makes.

Each team traded early scores after the opening tip until Alfred State went on an 23-8 run to build their largest lead of 13 points (25-12) at 9:42 in the first half.

Kirkland Ottey knocked down a long ball to start the run before Owens scored a layup in transition. The Hawks next possession resulted in a Kyle Kline 3-pointer which was followed by a pair of freebies and a tip-in by Owens which cut the score to 24-25. Jalen Smith hit a jumper for the first lead at 5:18 on the clock and Hilbert was off and running.

After A-State knotted the game at 27 (4:02), David Arlaud took over and paced the Hawks' 12-point run with four buckets to close the half leading 39-32.

The Pioneers found themselves down by 16 just five minutes into the second period and after six-straight points by Owens over a sixty-second session, the Hawks held a 26 point lead at 7:12 (70-44). Ottey sank a pair of free throws with 3:04 remaining (76-48) before A-State's 11-0 run cut the difference to 17 points. Nicholas Parucki scored a lay-up and Jackson closed the Hawks' scoring with his long distance shot before the final horn.

Hilbert outscored the Pioneers 30-18 in the paint and 8-4 in 2nd chance points.

The Hawks return to AMCC action this Saturday when they travel to the Pittsburgh, Pa. area to battle against Pitt.-Greensburg (8-5, and 5-1 in AMCC). This is a very important game for the Hawks as they are a half-game ahead of the Bobcats in league standings having already picked up 6 league wins.