UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team lost to visiting St. John Fisher College 68-47 in the Empire 8 Conference opener for both teams on Friday night at the Harold T. Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium.  Senior forward Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) led the Pioneers with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius), Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) and Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) each picked up six points for Utica. 

Fisher earned its sixth straight win and improved to 8-2 overall and 1-0 in the Empire 8.  Utica snapped a two game winning streak and moved its record to 4-6 overall and 0-1 in the Empire 8. The Pioneers will host Ithaca College on Saturday at 4 p.m. while the Cardinals remain on the road at Elmira College tomorrow at 4 p.m.

Four different players scored in double-figures for Fisher including Keegan Ryan, who posted 16 points and 14 rebounds.  Chaz Lott, Optimystik Kinard and Tyler Hart each added 11 points for the visitors. 

Fisher jumped out to a quick 15-2 lead in the first 6:02 of the contest, converting on their first six shots of the game to earn the early advantage.  Uitca was able to cut their deficit to nine points midway through the first half, but the Cardinals kept the pressure on and outscored Utica 12-4 in the final 6:16 before the half to earn a 41-23 lead as the halftime horn sounded. 

Fisher shot 59.3% from the floor in the first 20 minutes of action.

Utica opened the second half on a 14-4 run in a span of 7:36 and the Pioneers trailed by just eight points, 45-37, with 13:43 to go in regulation. The Pioneers were 6-for-7 from the floor in the stretch and they were led by a combined ten points from Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) and Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius).  Nevins, a senior, now needs just eight more points to break the 1,000 point barrier for his career.

Fisher then put the game out of reach with a 21-4 run in the next 9:34 of action to earn the victory.

Utica's Griffin Kelly (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) pulled in a team-best 11 rebounds (eight offensive) on the night, while Conor Maisch (Kingston, NY/John A. Coleman) added seven points and four rebounds.  Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) added five points and three rebounds for the Pioneers.