Box Score Ithaca 110, Utica 96 - Box Score

UTICA, NY – The Ithaca College men's basketball team knocked down 18 3-pointers and shot 55.4% from the floor on its way to a 110-96 victory over host Utica College in Empire 8 Conference play Saturday afternoon.  The Pioneers said goodbye to seniors George Schultz (Ridgefield, NJ/Ridgefield Memorial), Reggie German (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) and Marlon Davidson (Jamaica, NY/August Martin) before the start of the contest and all three seniors played well in their final game in the blue and orange.  Schultz had a career-night, totaling 18 points and five steals, while German added a game-high 19 points.  Davidson poured in seven points and also tallied a team-high eight assists. 

UC closed out their 2011-12 campaign with a 9-16 overall record, including a 5-9 mark in conference play.  Ithaca improved to 12-13 overall (9-5 E8) and they will travel to top seeded Hartwick College for the semi-finals of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament next weekend. 

The score was tied at 17-17 less the five minutes into the contest before the Bombers used a 28-8 run in a span of 6:47 to stretch its lead to 20 points, 45-25, with 8:47 left in first half of play.  UC was held scoreless for 4:18 during the run, which including 16 straight points for the visitors. 

The Pioneers answered right back with a 23-9 run of their own to cut the Bombers lead to as few as six points, 54-48, with 50 seconds to go in the half.  Ithaca's Tom Sweeney converted on a lay-up just before the half to give the Bombers an eight point advantage at the intermission.  Sweeney finished the day with a game-high 31 points on 14-of-21 shooting from the floor. 

Ithaca increased its lead to as many as 12 in the opening minute of the second half, but the Pioneers stayed the course and consistent free-throw shooting helped them keep the visitors within striking distance. Utica used an 8-0 run in a span of 2:14 to make it a five point contest, 76-71, at the 11:57 mark of the second half.  The Bombers answered every Pioneer run with a 3-pointer on the other end and Utica was unable to cut the deficit to less than six for the remainder of the contest. 

All told, the high scoring affair featured a combined 75 field goals, 29 3-pointers and 206 points.  94 of the Bombers 110 points came from their starting five, including 21 points on seven 3-pointers from Andrei Oztemel.  The nation's leading assist man, Sean Rossi, kept true to form as he registered 17 helpers. 

Jeff Ward (Ossining, NY/Ossining High School) scored 14 points for UC, while Matt Baldwin (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) and Jevin McClendon (Poughkeepsie, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) each recorded 11 points off the bench for the Pioneers. 

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