Balanced Scoring Helps Utica Snap Three Game Slide
Utica, NY (2-3-12) - Five Pioneers scored in double digits as the Utica College men's basketball team beat host St. John Fisher, 72-64, Friday evening to snap a three-game skid on the road. Freshman guard Aaron Nevins netted a career-high 17 points to go along with four assists and three boards to lead the Pioneers.
The starting five for UC netted 65 of the teams' 72 points with sophomore forward Chris Jeffers registering a double-double, grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds along with 10 points. Junior Matt Baldwin scored 16 points, including a perfect 8-of-8 from the line, while senior swingman Reggie German recorded 12 points and snatched six rebounds. Junior post Jeff Ward added 10 digits and seven boards on a mere perfect 5-of-6 from the floor.
The first 20 minutes of action entailed five lead changes along with five ties. After trading baskets, over the first six minutes of play, UC began to push away and ran to its biggest lead of the half, 25-17, at 9:57. The Cardinals put together a 13-5 spurt over the next six minutes to knot the game up, 30-30, at 3:21. However, back-to-back baskets by Jeffers and a late jumper by Nevins put the Pioneers ahead 36-32 going into the locker room.
The Cardinals came out of intermission and tied the contest, 41-41, over the first five minutes of play. Fisher tied the match three times in the second half, however, could not manuever a lead. With the match knotted, 53-53, at the seven minute mark, Utica managed an 19-11 spree to seal the victory.
The Pioneers shot 51% from the field including 50% from deep compared to Fisher's 37.3% shooting and 33.3% from behind the arc.
Utica (7-14, 3-7 Empire 8) journeys across cross East Avenue Saturday looking to make it two straight against Nazareth College (14-7, 7-3 Empire 8) at the Otto Shults Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. against the Golden Flyers. Naz had its three-game winning streak snapped at home Friday night, 81-59, at the hands of Ithaca College.