Utica, N.Y. (2/10/2011) - The Utica College men's basketball prepares for three road games in five days. The Pioneers are currently 10-9 overall on the season, including a 4-7 record the Empire 8 Conference. On Friday, UC travels to Alfred University to challenge the Saxons in a match scheduled to start at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Utica will visit St. John Fisher for an afternoon game scheduled for 4 p.m.

The Pioneers are currently seventh in the conference and hold a road record of 5-4 this season. UC lost to both, Alfred and St. John Fisher, at home earlier this season on back-to-back nights.

Alfred currently maintains a record of 8-13 overall as well as 3-9 in conference play. The Saxons are in eighth place behind Utica and beat the Pioneers, 65-60, on Jan. 7. The Saxons have now beat UC three straight games, however, only by an average margin of four points. Heading into last season, the Pioneers were 7-1 against Alfred dating back to the 2005-06 season.

St. John Fisher is currently fifth in the conference at 8-5 (12-10 overall) and knocked off UC, on Jan. 8, 80-66. The Cardinals have had success against UC as of late winning the last four games. Utica last beat Fisher back on Feb. 20, 2009, 68-63, on the road. St. John Fisher has the advantage in heads-up play with a 11-3 ledger going back to the 2005-06 season. Two of those losses came in the Empire 8 Conference Finals in back-to-back years (2005-06, 2006-07) and another in the third round of the NCAA Tournament (2005-06).

UC is led by senior guard James Patterson (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie), who currently ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (17.5). Patterson also leads the conference in steals (2.91 pg), is second in three-point percentage (.457), and third in assists (4.36 pg).

Senior swingman Will Abrams (Somerset, NJ/Rutgers Prep School) is currently second on the team and 21st in the conference averaging 10.9 points per game.

Following the weekend, the Pioneers return to action Tuesday as they travel to Elmira College. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. The Soaring Eagles are currently 2-19 overall and last in the conference with a record of 1-11.

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