Box Score
UTICA, NY (1/7/2014) – The Utica College men's basketball team lost to visiting SUNYIT 95-77 in non-conference action at the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center on Tuesday afternoon.  UC's Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) led the Pioneers with his sixth double-double of the season as he netted 16 points and hauled in 11 rebounds. 

The Pioneers dropped their first home contest of the season and their record moved to 5-6 overall.  UC continues its three game home stand this weekend as the Pioneers host a pair of Empire 8 Conference contests.   UC will take on Elmira College at 6 p.m. Friday night, before hosting Ithaca College at 2 p.m. on Saturday. 

SUNYIT was led by 20 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks from second semester newcomer Sallo Fofana (Bronx, N.Y.) who was making his debut with the Wildcats.  17 of the freshman's 20 points came in the first half. 

SUNYIT opened the contest on a 20-7 run in the first 5:29 of the game. Ryan James and Alexander Drake led the opening charge for the Wildcats.  The SUNYIT defense was active in the stretch, forcing six turnovers in the first five minutes of the game.

The Pioneers responded with a 24-14 run of their own in the next 8:04 of the contest to pull within three points of lead, 34-31, with 14:21. Utica was 3-for-6 from 3-point range and 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the stretch. Junior point guard Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and junior transfer Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) each posted five points in the run for UC.

UC closed within one point of the lead after sophomore Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) drilled one of his two three pointers of the night with 5:19 to go in first half of play.  That is when SUNYIT turned it on, with a 15-2 run in the final 5:19 of the first half, to earn a commanding 52-38 advantage at the half.

The Pioneers were able to dwindle their deficit to 12 points with 14:42 to go in regulation, but that was as close as they would get, as SUNYIT kept the offensive pressure on for the remainder of the second half to earn the 18 point victory. 

SUNYIT did not surrender the lead the entire contest after scoring the first two buckets early on.  The Wildcats' largest lead of the game was 27 points, 90-63, with 5:39 to go in the contest.  21 Pioneer turnovers led to 29 points on the other end for SUNYIT. 

Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) and Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) each recorded nine points apiece for the Pioneers.  Hamiti connected on 4-of-5 shots and also added three assists. Utica's Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) knocked down 3-of-7 3-pointers and finished with 11 points, marking his second double-digit scoring effort in the last four games. 

Junior Jon Pimentel (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy) registered his first points as a Pioneer going 2-for-2 from the floor and 2-for-3 from the charity stripe for a total of seven points.  Mark Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) also provided a spark for UC off the bench, grabbing seven rebounds and posting six points.  Kendall Brown (Queens, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) and Michael Howard (Bronx, NY/John F. Kennedy) each chipped in with four points apiece for UC.

Five different players scored in double figures for the Wildcats, including Fofana (20), Alonzo Grainger (17), Alexander Drake (16), Malcolm Jones (14) and Maverick Hodge (13).

SUNYIT completed the regular season sweep of the Pioneers and UC is now 14-9 against the local rival since 2001.