The University of Hartford men are aiming to get on the right track in their 1-7 start to the season.
They call their fans the "neighborhood" - and maybe some neighborhood inspiration will help.
Next Tuesday, the Hawks will host Saint Francis for the first "Jack Phelan Classic." Jack was the Hawks' coach in the 1980s - he helped the team move to Division I and he played college basketball at St. Francis.
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Jack passed away suddenly in 2020, but if you ask Hawks head coach John Gallagher, he's still coaching with him every day.
"We had games where we really struggled, years where we struggled and Jack was with me 'till the very end. When we had the four winningest years in school history, last four years, it was a direct relation to how Jack believed in the program, believed in myself," said Gallagher.
The "Jack Phelan Classic" is set for Tuesday, Dec. 14. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
