Box Score Utica 63, Alfred 61 - Box Score

UTICA, NY – Senior swingman Reggie German (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford)'s lone field goal of the contest proved to be a big one as he drilled the game-winning 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left in regulation to lift the Utica College men's basketball team to a 63-61 victory over host Alfred University Friday night. 

The Pioneers (8-15, 4-8 Empire 8) led for the entire second half until the Saxons finished their 7-2 run in the final four minutes of the game with a go-ahead free-throw by Mike Branche to put the home team ahead 59-58 with 1:56 to go.  UC's Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) answered with a bucket to put the Pioneers back on top with 39 seconds left before Alfred's Pat Hollenbeck scored what the Saxon's hoped would be the game-winning bucket with 10 seconds remaining.  But German and the Pioneers had other plans, as they marched down the court, and Nevins found German for the game-winner with less than two seconds on the clock. 

First-year forward Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) finished with a career-high 18 rebounds and he also added a 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor.  Junior Jeff Ward (Ossining, NY/Ossining High School) tallied 12 points and eight rebounds, while Matt Baldwin (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) chipped in with 13 points. Sophomore Jevin McClendon (Poughkeepsie, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) tallied ten points off the bench for UC. 

The Pioneers controlled the pace of play in the first 20 minutes and extended their lead to as many as ten points, 33-23, after two free throws by Baldwin with 2:28 to go in the half.  Alfred managed to cut their deficit to seven at the half, 37-30. 

The Saxons opened the second half on a 9-3 run to cut the UC lead to one point, but the Pioneers responded right away with a 12-4 run to snag a nine point lead right back, 52-43, with 8:51 to go. 

Alfred slowly chipped away at the Pioneer lead for the remainder of the contest until the final exchange. 

The Pioneers return to the hardwood on Saturday when they travel to Elmira College to take on the Soaring Eagles at 4 p.m.

                                                                                            --- www.ucpioneers.com ---