MIAMI, Fla. – Despite a game-high 17 points and 13 rebounds from Alex Tuci (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle) and the first career double-double from freshman Dwayne Frazier (Miami, Fla./The Sagemont School), the Manhattanville College men's basketball team came up one shot short in a tough 69-66 loss to Hartwick College at the HoopMIA D3 Holiday Shootout on Sunday afternoon.
 
Tuci had another solid game for Manhattanville (3-5), registering his fifth double-double in seven games this season with game-highs in both points and boards. Frazier also had his best outing of the season in front of his hometown crowd, scoring a season-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting and hauling in a season-best 12 rebounds as well in 22 minutes.
 
Manhattanville fell into an early hole in its first game of the week, as Hartwick (6-2) scored 11 of the game's first 13 points. The Hawks led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but a three from sophomore Willie Britton (Queens, N.Y./Monsignor McClancy) and back-to-back buckets from Frazier whittled the deficit back down to three at 23-20 with 5:31 left. A three from Tuci tied the score in the final minute of the half before a late basket gave Hartwick a 33-31 edge at the half.
 
Three straight points from senior Charles Nardone (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) to start the second half put the Valiants up for the first time at 34-33 just 100 seconds into the frame, but it was quickly responded to by a Justin Pratt three that gave Hartwick back the lead.
 
The Hawks maintained their lead for the remainder of the half, and looked to be in good shape up eight (66-58) with 4:05 left. But Manhattanville held Hartwick without a field goal the rest of the way, as the Valiants slowly began the chip away at the deficit. A free throw and a three-point play from Tuci got the deficit down to four, and two free throws from Britton made it a 66-64 game with 2:24 remaining.
 
Nardone made a huge play to get the Valiants within one at 67-66, as he caught a desperation three from Tuci and put it home just before the shot clock went off. Manhattanville had two chances to take the lead in the final minute but turned the ball over, and a desperation three at the buzzer was just slightly off target as the Valiants suffered another close defeat.
 
Manhattanville out-rebounded Hartwick by a 43-33 margin and posted a big 40-24 scoring edge in the paint, but the Hawks held a decisive 18-4 edge in points off turnovers and also shot 34.8 percent (8 of 24) from beyond the arc to escape with the win.
 
The Valiants have one day off in the Sunshine State before returning to the court on Tuesday at 4 p.m. against Gwynedd Mercy University in the final game of the trip.