2013 Comes to Close on the Hardwood
Utica 71, Cortland 67
The Utica College men's basketball team used a 10-3 run in the final 3:40 of the contest to come from behind and secure a 71-67 victory over visiting Cortland State on the hardwood at the Clark Athletic Center Tuesday afternoon.
Utica returned from a three week rest and picked up where it left off as the Pioneers won their third straight game (4-of-5) to improve their record to 5-3 on the year headed into a key Empire 8 Conference opener on the road at Stevens Institute of Technology Friday night (6 p.m.). UC wrapped up its three game home stand with a perfect 3-0 record and the Pioneers remain undefeated at the friendly confines of the Clark Athletic Center this season.
After starting the season 4-0, Cortland has now lost three straight and dropped its record to 4-3 on the year. The Red Dragons where led by senior forward Garen Spendjian, who netted a season-high 30 points and snagged seven rebounds. Spendjian was a near perfect 5-for-6 from 3-point land and 12-for-15 overall from the floor on the afternoon. No other Red Dragon managed double-figures.
Utica featured a more balanced attack with five players scoring at least eight points.
Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) and
Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) each led UC with a team-best 14 points, while
Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) provided a nice lift off the bench with a career-best 12 points (4-of-6 from 3-point land). Reserve
Mark Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) also contributed with nine points (3-of-4 shooting), while
Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) added eight of his own.
The Pioneers led for the majority of the contest, but a 10-2 run in a span of 2:23 late in the second half pushed the visitors to their largest lead of the game, 64-61, with 3:42 to go. That's when UC responded with its game-winning rally, as
Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and
Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) came on strong, registering four points apiece in the final 2:24 of regulation.
The game featured seven lead changes and six ties, but the Pioneers managed to gather the lead for 72% of the contest (28:47). Utica's largest lead was 18-7 early in the first after a crushing 16-2 run in a span of 5:10.
Mark Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) and
Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) fueled the Pioneers' early push with six points apiece and the Utica defense held the visitors to 1-for-10 from the floor in the stretch.
Cortland answered with a 13-5 run in the next 4:22 of the first half to cut UC's lead to 23-20 with 6:08 to go in the first half of play. It was back and forth for both teams for the remainder of the first half and Utica entered the locker room with a five point advantage, 36-31.
Trailing by four, 43-39, just over three minutes into the second half, the Red Dragons used a 9-3 spurt to earn a 48-46 lead with 11:18 to go. Terrence Felder led the charge for the visitors with six points in the stretch. Felder finished the afternoon with nine points.
Utica answered with another run of its own, as the Pioneers outscored Cortland 8-2 in a stretch of 3:24 midway through the second half to take a 54-50 lead with 7:54 to go in the contest.
Cortland was able to rally to take a three points lead, 64-61, with 3:42 left, but that's when the Pioneers used their final run of the game to secure the key non-conference victory.
Big man
Marty Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) netted five points and added seven rebounds for the Pioneers, while freshman
Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) added eight rebounds, but was held to 0-for-6 from the floor.
Allegheny 89, Alfred 79
The Alfred University men's basketball team lost an 89-79 decision on the road to Allegheny College, Tuesday afternoon.
Despite the 10 points scored by senior center
Gerald Colas (Houston, TX/Cypress Ridge), Alfred trailed 38-37 at halftime.
The Saxons led 79-78 with 2:30 left in the second half, until Allegheny scored 10 unanswered points as time expired, capturing the victory.
Senior guard
Thomas Tsatsis (Neponsit, NY/Townsend Harris) led Alfred in scoring with 17 points. Colas finished with 13 points, and junior guard
Tim Pacheco (Mt. Pocono, PA/Pocono Mountain East) added 12 points and three steals. Tsatsis and Colas pulled down six rebounds apiece.