Utica 71, Alfred 69 - Box Score

Utica, NY - The Utica College men's basketball team beat host Alfred University Friday night 71-69 in overtime. The Pioneers are now 11-9 overall, while improving to 5-7 in the Empire 8 Conference.  The Saxons drop to 8-14 on the season and are now 3-10 in E8 play. Freshmen Jevin McClendon (Poughkeepsie, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) netted a career-high 16 points, includng 4-of-7 from behind the arc.

UC hit three consecutive three-pointers within the first five minutes to jump out to the biggest lead of the first half, 13-7, at 14:53. Pioneer senior Will Abrams (Somerset, NJ/Rutgers Prep School) hit back-to-back three-pointer before senior guard James Patterson (Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie) followed up with the third. The first 20 minutes of play featured six lead changes and the score was tied, 28-28, at half.

The home team came out of the locker room and went on a 16-7 run, taking the largest lead of the game, 44-35, with 10:49 left to play in regulation. Utica would regroup and go on a run of its own, outscoring Alfred 20-10 over the next five minutes. UC took its first lead of the second half, at 5:05, off a layup from freshmen Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman). The final five minutes of play featured six lead changes and three ties, making the total for regulation 13 lead changes and seven ties. Alfred's Gary Kwiecien hit a jumper with seven seconds remaning to send the game into overtime.

In overtinme, Abrams netted four of Utica's six points (2-2 FT, 1-1FG) en route to his team-high 17 points and a UC win.

Patterson recorded 16 points, seven boards and five dishes, while Alex Meyer (Salt Point, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) tallied eight points and rebounds in 19 minutes.

The Pioneers return to action Saturday as they travel to St. John Fisher for another conference battle in the Empire 8. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.