PROVIDENCE –– Brown University rode a strong shooting performance from its younger players to a commanding lead against Hartford last night, and then survived a bruising second half to pull out a 72-62 victory.

After dominating with precise shooting in the first half, Brown fell back on its heels briefly when the Hartford Hawks came out with unexpected intensity in the second half. But the Bears hung tough despite missing 16 free throws.

“You’ve got to play strong and tough and make your fouls when they come after you… the margin could have been greater, but as long as it’s more than one, we’re thrilled,” said first-year head coach Jesse Agel, whose Bears improved to 4-5 with the win.

Hartford, last in the America East Conference coming into last night’s game with a 3-6 record, last faced Brown a year ago, and Brown came away with a 79-61 win.

Brown came out strong early, with sophomores Adrian Williams and Sean Kane quickly piling up 25 points between them.

Williams and the rest of the Bears had a tough time hitting their shots against Providence last week; it was a different feel immediately against Hartford last night.

When Hartford’s defense would collapse to double a driving Brown Bear, Brown would consistently pass outside and find an open shooter. More often than not, Williams and Kane hit the catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.

Williams had already tied his career high for points, 16, with six minutes to go in the first half, and would finish with 19. What Kane did was more unexpected — he had yet to score this season, had only appeared in three games, and wasn’t even on Hartford’s scouting reports. Within minutes he had surpassed his career scoring highs.

“I didn’t tell him ahead of time or anything, because I didn’t want to possibly get him nervous — I just wanted him to do what he’s been showing us [in practice] the last couple of weeks. He can make shots. Now, he’s going to be in the scouts [reports], and he’s going to have to expand his game.”

When the three-point shots weren’t falling, Brown leaned on Matt Mullery’s emerging inside game. The 6-foot-8 junior was either banging the ball in from the low post or forcing Hartford to foul him.

“The year Matt Mullery’s having, people really have to try to find a way to stop him, and that’s going to open up some other things as well,” Agel said. “He is the man when we come down.”

Mullery had 11 points against Providence last week and followed that with 15 points against New Hampshire. He is leading the Ivy League in shooting percentage, hitting nearly 70 percent of his shots, and is second in the Ivy League in blocks.

Last night, his interior presence forced Hartford to switch from zone to man-to-man, and he racked up 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks, and shot 12 for 17 from the free-throw line.

“My teammates have done a great job of getting me the ball in spots where I can be effective — I’ve really got to say, that’s the difference,” Mullery said.

“When we make an emphasis to get the ball down low early, it opens up and spreads the defense out, and helps our team for sure,” Mullery said.

Hartford came out with pressure in the second half, playing man and pressing Brown up and down the court. Brown’s 20-point halftime lead was soon cut to nine. But it wasn’t enough..

Brown next plays at Wagner on Dec. 21.

dbarbari@projo.com