ONEONTA, N.Y. – Senior Mike Manley led all players with 17 points – including five of Union College's final eight points during a clinching 8-0 run – as the Dutchmen defeated Hartwick College 65-59 in the men's basketball team's 2021-22 season-opener on Saturday night at Lambros Arena.
 
Four of Union's five starters reached double figures in the victory, as the Dutchmen received all 65 points from their starting quintet. Junior Justin Regis had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists, while senior Brian Noone added 15 points and eight boards. Junior Mike Caporale had a very efficient outing with 10 points and eight boards in 22 minutes, while senior Temi George also chipped in eight points and six caroms.
 
The Dutchmen jumped out to an early 7-2 lead against the Hawks and former Union associate head coach Nick Ciresi, who is in his first year at the helm of Hartwick. Union never trailed in the first half after Hartwick scored the game's first two points, and led by as many as 11 following a 12-2 run to close the half. Manley had six points and George added four during the stretch, which put the visitors up 31-20 at the break.
 
Regis opened the second half with a jumper to extend Union's lead to 13 at 33-20, but the Hawks went on an extended 18-5 run to even the score at 38 with 13:59 remaining. The game remained a one-possession contest for almost the entire rest of the way, with the teams trading the lead on seven occasions.
 
The home team took its last lead at 59-57 with 1:34 on the clock on a jumper by Andrew Rocci. Noone drew a foul and sunk one free throw on the subsequent possession to get Union back within one, and the Dutchmen got the offensive rebound and turned it into a big Manley three that made it 61-59 Dutchmen with exactly 60 seconds left. Following a turnover, Union milked almost the entire clock before Manley dished to Caporale for a huge bucket with 17 ticks remaining, and Manley clinched the game with two freebies in the waning seconds.
 
Union finished the game shooting 41.4 percent (24 for 58) from the field, including a 10-of-26 mark (38.5 percent) from beyond the arc. The Dutchman defense limited Hartwick to 34.9 percent (22 of 63) shooting from the field.
 
The Dutchmen return to Viniar Athletic Center for the first time this season next Saturday, when the team hosts Lasell College beginning at 4 p.m.