UTICA, NY -- The Utica College men's basketball team lost 83-64 in Empire 8 Conference play against visiting Hartwick College on Tuesday night at the Clark Athletic Center gymnasium.  Senior Conor Maisch (Kingston, NY/John A. Coleman) hit the 30 point marker for the second time this season to lead the Pioneers.

Senior point guard Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) added 14 points and six assists for Utica, while Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) chipped in with 10 points of his own.

UC has dropped four straight contests as its record moved to 8-14 overall and 4-9 in the Empire 8.  Hartwick has now won five in a row and improved to 13-8 overall and 8-4 in conference play.

The Hawks were led by 21 points and 11 rebounds from Jake Sinicki, while Trevor Norton chipped in with 19 points. Matt Wilson added 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

UC opened up a 9-7 lead in the first 3:11 of the contest, but the visitors answered immediately with a 12-0 run in the next 2:48 to take a 19-9 lead with 14:01 to go in the first half.  Utica was able to cut their deficit to six points, 21-15, at the 9:04 mark, but the Hawks padded their lead by going on a 17-9 run over the course of the next 7:57. Hartwick led by 11 at the half, 38-27.

Utica trailed by 16 points early in the second half and used a 26-14 in a span of 8:11 to cut the Hartwick lead to as few as four points, 59-55, with 10:22 left after Maisch scored on two consecutive possessions.

The Hawks closed the door from that point, going on a 24-9 run in the final 9:47 of the contest to earn the convincing 19 point victory.

Senior Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) netted six points and now needs just one more point to crack the 1,000 point club.  Ian Henderson (Chateaugay, NY/Chateaugay) came off the bench and scored three points for the Pioneers. 

Hartwick point guard Joey Lufkin netted ten points and added seven assists.

Utica returns to the hardwood on Friday night when it travels to Nazareth College to take on the Golden Flyers at 8 p.m.