Maisch Nets Nine 3-Pointers: Hartwick Takes Down Unbeaten E. Conn. St.
UTICA 84, New Paltz 72
Senior
Conor Maisch of the Utica College men's basketball team set a new school-record and tied the University of Rochester's Palestra Gymnasium record with nine 3-pointers as the Pioneers topped New Paltz 84-72 in the first round of the Chuck Resler Tournament on Friday afternoon. Maisch finished the day with a game-high 29 points (9-of-15 from 3-point), while three other Pioneers scored in double-figures including
Robert Tutein (17),
Ivan Iton (15) and
Aaron Nevins (14).
Nevins was one assist and three rebounds shy of a triple double after posting 14 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Iton, a freshman, scored nine of his career-high 15 points at the free throw line.
Maisch broke the previous school-record of eight 3-pointers set back on January 25, 1992 by Utica's Keith Wick against Elmira College.
The Pioneers are now 1-1 overall and they return to the hardwood on Saturday night at 6 p.m. when they take on the winner of the other 1
st round matchup between Gordon and host University of Rochester.
As a team the Pioneers connected on 15-of-28 3-pointers, including five from Tutein. The Pioneers largest lead of the contest was 20 points, 84-64, with 1:59 remaining and after the Pioneers took the lead at the 10:31 mark of the first half they never surrendered it again.
Trailing, by two, 15-13, at the 10:56 marker of the first half, the Pioneers used a 13-5 run in a span of 3:37 to take a 29-20 lead that they would not relinquish. Tutein and Maisch both knocked down two 3-pointers each and Iton added four points in the stretch.
The Pioneers extended their lead to as many as 15, 45-30, with 1:53 to go in the first half. New Paltz was able to decrease their deficit to eight points before the halftime horn sounded and the Pioneers headed into the locker room with a 47-39 advantage.
New Paltz cut the UC lead to five points, 50-45 less than three minutes into the second half, but the Pioneers used a 19-8 run in a span of 7:36 midway through the second half to take a commanding 69-53 advantage with 9:33 remaining in regulation.
The Pioneers shot 50% from 3-point land and 80% from the free throw line in the second half to secure the victory.
HARTWICK 74, E. Connecticut State 71
Hartwick held off a late charge from Eastern Connecticut State University on Friday night, knocking off the Warriors 74-71 at Lambros Arena in the second game of the 2014 Holiday Inn Classic.
'Wick led by nine with 2:20 remaining but the Warriors trimmed it to two with 2.9 seconds left. Trachone Preston went to the line with a chance to tie the game but he missed his second shot and the Hawks grabbed the rebound. Hartwick had the basketball with 0.4 seconds left but an intentional foul on the Warriors put
Glenn Gavan on the line. He sank both his shots and the Hawks maintained possession on the in-bounds to close out the victory.
Hartwick had five players in double figures and hit 12-for-23 (52.2%) from beyond the three-point line. They also out-rebounded the Warriors 39-32.
Justin Pratt paced the Hawks with a team-best 20 points. He also drained six three-point baskets to go along with five rebounds.
Matt Petruccione added 12 points on four treys and
Matt Wilson,
Joey Lufkin, and
Jake Sinicki each had 10 points.
The Warriors grabbed an early 14-7 lead in the game as they couldn't miss, making their first five shots from the floor in the opening four minutes. The Hawks responded and took a brief lead, 15-14, on a Petruccione three-pointer but 14 seconds later Preston gave the Warriors a one-point edge with 14 minutes left in the half and they held the lead for the next six minutes.
Later, Preston gave his team a five-point lead but five straight points from Sinicki and another bucket from
Trevor Norton put the Hawks ahead for another 34 seconds. Eastern Connecticut regained the advantage but a huge 13-2 run for the Hawks over the final 3:12 handed them a 44-35 lead at the half. Pratt hit two three's with Petruccione adding one in the spurt.
Hartwick led the whole way in the second half although the Warriors didn't make it easy. Twice the Hawks had 10-point leads early in the period. A Hugh Lindo dunk, however, trimmed the margin to just two points, 53-51, with just over 13 minutes remaining. But a three from Lufkin and buckets from Sinicki and Gavan quickly built the advantage back up to nine.
'Wick got it to double digits again, 64-54, with 6:14 left and later had a nine-point lead after back-to-back three-pointers from Petruccione with 2:20 showing on the clock and it appeared the hawks were headed to the victory.
Five straight Preston points sandwiched around a Hartwick turnover and the lead was suddenly only four, 70-66, 1:30 later. Hartwick couldn't convert on the offensive end and a Tarchee Brown dunk made it a two-point contest, 70-68, with under a minute left. Lufkin connected on a jumper with 30 ticks remaining to make it a two-possession game, 72-68. A layup at the other end by David Canny cut it to two 16 seconds later.
Another Hartwick turnover gave the Warriors the ball back with a chance to tie or take the lead. A foul put Preston on the line with less than three seconds left but he couldn't convert the pair allowing 'Wick the win.
Hartwick improved to 2-2 overall in the game. The Warriors fall to 3-1.
Wilson registered a game-high nine rebounds for Hartwick. Pratt added five boards.
Preston had a game-high 27 points for the Warriors. Brandon Yarborough added 11 points and Brown ended the night with 10.
Stockton 73, STEVENS 49
Trinity 74, ITHACA 48
Otterbein 73, HOUGHTON 58