Amarino stuck on career win No. 300

In a game that saw Harper coach Tony Amarino on the verge of his 301st career win, the Hawks instead were left to think only about what could have been.

The Hawks were stormed late by Milwaukee Area Technical College Tuesday night at the Sports and Wellness Center and fell 66-58 in the teams' first meetings as conference rivals.

If it's the little things that win basketball games, as the adage goes, then the Hawks (8-12, 1-4) did not get the memo. Harper shot 34 percent from the free throw line (9-for-26).

"Maybe we feel pressure at home," Amarino said. "Give them credit - they made us work at what we wanted.

"I thought Avery (Roche) had a good game. He's getting what we want."

Roche finished with 13 points and a steal.

Milwaukee (13-6, 3-2) held a 27-25 lead at the half. Sophomore guard Christopher Hortman finished with 19 points for Milwaukee Tech.

"He had a rough first half. He came back in the second and gave us a strong finish," said Stormers coach Randy Casey.

The Hawks host Madison Area Technical College on Saturday at the Sports and Wellness Center; the Stormers travel to College of DuPage on Saturday.

* Amarino reached win No. 300 on Saturday with an 80-57 victory over Wright College.

"We came out with intensity," Amarino said.

The Hawks' goal in each game is to hold their opponent to 60 points, a feat Harper has accomplished five times this season, including Saturday. The Hawks had a 30-point lead at the half.

"It's just a number," Amarino said of the milestone.

Of Amarino's 300 wins, more than 260 of them came when he was the head coach at Morton College.

"It's a great win - we actually played as a team," said Harper's Brandon Bolger.