UTICA, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team returns home Tuesday as it hosts Hartwick College in Empire 8 Conference action. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
Last Time Out: The Pioneers lost the Empire 8 opener to Alfred on the road Tuesday 80-74 … On Thursday Utica traveled to Stevens and lost 96-62 … Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) led the team in scoring both games putting up 24 against Alfred and 14 against Stevens.
 
Leading The Way: Senior Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) leads the team and is 11th in the E8 in points per game (16.4) … Tutein also has a team-high 11 blocks and is fourth in the Conference in blocks per game (1.1) … He is also sixth in the conference in three pointers per game (2.6).
 
Sophomore Duo: Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) is third on the team with 8.9 points per game while Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) is fourth with 7.8 points per game … Iton leads the team in rebounds (77) and is second on the squad in assists (15), and blocks (10) … Taylor is first on the team in assists (34) and is second in rebounds (54).
 
Freshman Contributors: Seamus McHugh (Latham, NY/Shaker) leads all freshmen with 7.4 points per game and has added 18 rebounds, eight assists, and six steals so far this season … Justin Mayers (Hastings, NY/Hastings on the Hudson) has also helped out averaging 4.1 points per game and has added 22 rebounds, nine assists, five steals, and one block this season.
 
Scouting Hartwick: The Hawks are 7-4 overall and they are 2-0 in Empire 8 play … Hartwick is currently on a three game win streak including a 98-85 victory over Houghton and a 96-72 win over Stevens last week… The Hawks are led by Trevor Norton (19.9 points per game, 60 rebounds, 32 assists, 12 steals, and one block) and Joey Lufkin (17.5 points per game, 42 assists, 22 rebounds, and eight steals).
 
Against The Hawks: UC is 3-7 against Hartwick over the last five years … In that time the Pioneers went 1-4 at home and 2-3 on the road against the Hawks … Last year Utica beat Hartwick 90-83 on the road and lost 83-64 at home.
 
Pioneers All-Access: Make sure to catch live video, audio and stats on Pioneers All-Access: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/
 
Social Media: Make sure to follow live updates of the game on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… If you are at the game and on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #UCMoose… You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers ... Fans can also follow the Pioneers on Instagram: UCPioneers.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will stay at home on Friday as they host Elmira College for an Empire 8 match up … The game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.