Men's Basketball | 12/4/2021 6:11:00 PM
UTICA, NY - Despite a valiant second half comeback attempt from the Hamilton College Continentals, the Utica College men's basketball team held off Hamilton for a 69-65 win in its home opener.
The Pioneers shot lights-out in the first half connecting on 63 percent of field goals and 54.5 percent of three-pointers throughout the opening 20 minutes. After UC jumped out to a 9-0 lead, Hamilton answered with seven straight points out of a timeout before a Kobe Lufkin bucket stopped the continentals 7-0 run.
With just over nine minutes to go in the first period with Utica ahead 23-15, the Pioneers began to heat up as the team went on a 16-0 run in three minutes to take a convincing 39-15 lead. In the closing 30 seconds of the half, Thomas Morreale nailed a three that gave UC a 44-23 lead entering the break.
In the second period Hamilton would not surrender easily. The Continentals opened the half on a 8-0 run to turn a 21 point deficit into 13 with 17 minutes left. With the teams going back-and-forth over the next six minutes, Avery Coston converted a crucial four-point play to put the Pioneers up 51-36 with just under 11:30 remaining.
With the score 59-43 in favor of Utica with 7:30 to play, Hamilton began to inch within striking distance. From the 7:29 mark until 2:16 left, the continentals got within five points of the Pioneers with the score 62-57. Darius Hopkins, Lufkin and Morreale were able to convert on the free throw line just enough down the stretch to hold off Hamilton's comeback effort.
Morreale led the team with 21 points and also ended with six rebounds, two steals and one block and assist. Lufkin netted 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and was the only other Pioneers to record double digits in points. He also had a team high eight rebounds. Chris Green added nine points while Coston scored eight off the bench.
UC (5-1, 0-0 Empire 8) will take the court next on December 29 against Alfred State College in the Utica College Classic. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. from Miga Court. More information on the tournament can be found through
https://ucpioneers.com/sports/2018/12/12/uticaclassic19.aspx.