Box Score Utica 73, Elmira 69 - Box Score

Utica, NY (2-11-12) - Junior forward Meghan Fiore (Epping, NH/Epping) dropped a career-high 35 points Saturday afternoon to lead the Utica College women's basketball team to its third straight Empire 8 Conference game, 73-69, over Elmira College.  UC has now won three striaght conference contests, on the road, to imrpove to 10-14 overall while moving its E8 record 5-8.

The first half featurd ten lead changes and eight ties with biggest lead taken by Elmira, 6-2, early at 17:35.  The Pioneers used a 16-10 run over the next ten minutes to take a slight 18-16 lead at 11:25.  The squads would trade baskets over the next seven minutes, including six ties, posting a 32-32 score at 3:56.  UC edged a 7-4 advantage into the break as it led the home team 39-36 at intermission.

The Soaring Eagles opened up the second half with a 9-5 run to edge a 45-44 lead at 15:59. It was then Utica began to break away as a 12-0 spurt, over the next five minutes, showcased the contest's largest lead of the game, 56-45, with 10:24 to play. The home team put together a valiant comeback, pulling within two points of the Pioneer lead, 67-65, over the next eight minutes, with 2:36 left on the clock.  However, UC senior guard Katie McGee (Philadelphia, PA/Nazareth) ended the threat with another clutch performance at the foul line, hitting four straight freebies, for the second day in a row, to close out the game. 

McGee racked up 13 points, on an impressive 9-of-10 from the free throw line, along with five dishes as she remains the E8 leader in assists.

Freshman Bridget Greenwald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) posted a stellar outing with 13 points while snatching nine boards off the bench.

Fiore, McGee and Greenwald combined for 61 of Utica's 73 points, including 19-of-22 from the free throw line, as UC grabbed its tenth victory of the season.

The Pioneers close out the regular season, at home, next Saturday as they welcome Ithaca College in the regular season finale.  The Bombers, currently tied in first with Hartwick, improved to 20-4 on the season as well as 12-1 in E8 play as they downed Alfred University, 73-43, Friday evening convincingly.