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Utica, N.Y. - The Utica College men's basketball team (8-7, Empire 8 2-5) looks to snap a two-game slide as they prepare for Stevens Institute of Technology (11-4, 5-2 Empire 8) on Friday. The game will be held in Hoboken, NJ and tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

This game starts a pivotal stretch for UC, having nine remaining conference contests, of which six will be on the road. UC is coming off a tough, one-point, loss to conference rival Nazareth College on Friday.

The Pioneers look to bounce back, while getting even with the Ducks after losing their conference opener, 73-69, to Stevens in Utica, on Dec. 10. The Ducks are currently tied for second place in the conference with Hartwick. Since joining the conference in the 2007-2008 season, Stevens holds a record of 4-3 against UC, including this year's early season loss.

Utica is led by senior guard James Patterson (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) who currently ranks fourth in the Empire 8 Conference in scoring (16.3ppg) and assists (4.20 apg), while leading the conference in steals (2.87 spg).

Senior Robert Whyte (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock Township) is averaging 14.8 points off the bench in the last five games. As the Pioneers sixth man, Whyte is averaging eight points and 4.9 boards in 17 minutes of play.

Senior swingman Will Abrams (Somerset, NJ/Rutgers Prep School) is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.3 points per contest. Abrams also averages 4.3 boards per game in 27.6 minutes per game.

Following Friday's game, the Pioneers return to the hardwood Tuesday, Feb. 1 as they host Elmira College in the first of two meetings this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. Elmira is currently 1-17 on the season and last in the conference with an 0-9 record.