ITHACA, NY- The Utica College men's basketball team downed host Ithaca College, 84-75, in Empire 8 Conference action Friday evening.  Four different players scored in the double-digits to pace the Pioneers.
 
Utica improves to 7-16 on the year and 4-11 in the Empire 8 Conference, while the Bombers drop to 13-11 overall and they are eliminated from playoff contention with a 7-8 conference record.  This marks the first time in five years that the Pioneers have swept the season series against Ithaca. UC will wrap up the 2015-16 campaign Saturday as it travels to Nazareth College.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.  Ithaca will host Hartwick College also at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
Utica led by as many as 11 points with 6:05 left to play.  The Bombers made it interesting as they came within four points with just 21 seconds remaining, however four straight free throws by Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) secured the Utica victory.
 
Sophomore Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) led the Pioneers with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Andrew Druziak (Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam ) netted 14 points off the bench.  Hamiti finished with 12 points, going 4-for-4 at the charity strip, and shooting 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.  Senior Jawan Simmons (Syracuse, NY/Nottingham) chipped in with 11 points of his own and added seven boards.
 
Seamus McHugh (Latham, NY/Shaker) and Justin Mayers (Hastings, NY/Hastings on the Hudson) combined for 15 points, while Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick), Dylan Drexler (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia), Mike Cannizzo (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) and Shawn Celestin (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) also scored for UC.  Peter Ezema and Marc Chasin each recorded double-doubles for the home team, as Ezema finished with 18 points and a game-high 18 rebounds and Chasin netted 17 points and 11 boards.