Box Score Box Score  Stevens 85, Utica 77 Final

Hoboken, NJ (2-1-13) – The Utica College men's basketball put up a fight on the road however lost to Stevens Institute of Technology, 85-77, Friday night at the Canavan Arena in Hoboken, NJ.

UC falls to 8-13 on the season including a 5-6 mark in the Empire 8 Conference while Stevens improves to 17-3 overall and remains atop the conference standings at 10-2.  The Pioneers return to their home hardwood Tuesday as they welcome Hartwick College whereas the Ducks travel nearby to Baruch College for their final non-league contest of the season.  Both games are set to tip-off at 8 p.m.

The teams battled back and forth over the first five minutes of play before the Ducks managed to pull away with a 13 point lead, 36-23, with 5:20 left in the first period. The home team would extend it cushion to 16 points as it took a 16 point advantage, 47-31, into the locker room. Guards Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and Matt Baldwin (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) headed the Pioneers, combining for 15 points throughout the first 20 minutes.

The home team came out of the locker room and gathered a quick 20 point advantage, 59-39, within the first five minutes of the second period. Utica answered with a late run to pull within three of the lead on a few occasions but could not overcome the Ducks as they fell back in the playoff hunt.

Five Pioneers tallied double-digit points in the loss including sixth-man Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) who led the way 16 points in 22 minutes off the bench.  Junior Connor Maisch added 14 points, five boards and assists while Baldwin and Nevins chipped in with a combined 28 for UC. Junior Chris Jeffere recorded 11 points and a team-high eight grabs.

Sheldon Jones tallied a game-high 29 points while Patrick Sabatino added 18 points for the Ducks.