BUFFALO, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team lost to RPI 81-48 in the opening round of the Hilbert Tip-Off Tournament Friday night.  Utica's Seamus McHugh (Latham, NY/Shaker) led the Pioneers with a career-best 12 point effort, while senior Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) added 10 points. 

Freshman Jonathan Wilson (Rochester, NY/Greece Arcadia) chipped in with eight points and Andrew Druziak (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam ) also added a career-best five points on 2-of-3 shooting from the floor.

Utica (0-3) returns to the hardwood on Saturday when the Pioneers take on the loser of Friday night's other semifinal matchup between Hilbert and Chatham (8 p.m.).

33 of the Pioneers' 48 points came from their bench play in a contest where the lead changed hands just once.

The Pioneers opened up a five point lead, 9-4, just 5:14 into the 1st half of play, but the Engineers answered with a 26-2 run in the next 8:37 to take a commanding 19 point lead with 6:09 left in the first half.

RPI held its advantage through the final six minutes of the first half and took a 35-17 lead into the locker room at the intermission.

The Engineers opened the second half on a 23-7 run in the first 6:40 to take a 55-22 advantage in the non-conference contest. UC's deficit was too much to overcome as RPI advanced to the championship game with a 33 point victory.

RPI scored 23 points off of 15 Utica turnovers and the Engineers also earned 16 second chance points in the victory. RPI was led by 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor by Andreas Kntopidis.

15 different players saw action for UC and eight Pioneers scored at least two points. Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) added five points and three rebounds, while Justin Mayers (Hastings, NY/Hastings on the Hudson) posted four points.