Box Score Ithaca 83, Utica 74 -
Box Score
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Utica College men's basketball team led by as many as 15 points in the first half but host Ithaca College outscored UC 23-8 in the first ten minutes of the second half to help the Bombers earn an 83-74 victory over the Pioneers in Empire 8 Conference play Tuesday evening. Junior guard
Matt Baldwin (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) led the way for UC with a team-high 21 points, while classmate
Jeff Ward (Ossining, NY/Ossining High School) added 13 points and 12 rebounds for UC.
Utica (6-12, 2-5 Empire 8) snapped a two game conference winning streak while the Bombers improved their record to 8-10 overall and 5-2 in conference play. Andrei Oztemel scored a team-high 19 points and added nine rebounds while point guard Sean Rossi broke his own school-record with 19 assists for Ithaca.
UC jumped out to a quick 15 point lead after outscoring the home team 22-7 over the course of the first 6:44 of play. The Bombers answered right back with a 16-8 run in a span of less than seven minutes to cut their deficit to just seven points, 30-23, with 6:52 left in the first half of play. The Pioneers were able to regain their composure and headed into the locker room with a ten point advantage, 46-36.
Ithaca poured it on in the first seven minutes of the second half and after taking 52-51 lead with 13:12 left in the contest the Bombers never looked back. Ithaca's largest lead of the game came as the final horn sounded with the Bombers on top by nine.
Senior guard
Reggie German (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) scored 15 points for UC and
Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) continued his workman-like ways with 12 rebounds. Sophomore
Jevin McClendon (Poughkeepsie, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) scored 11 points off the bench for the Pioneers.
The Pioneers return to action on Friday night at home when they host Hartwick College for a conference contest at 8 p.m.
--- www.ucpioneers.com ---
