HOBOKEN, NJ – Evan Klimchak nailed the game-winning 3-pointer with six seconds left in the contest to lift host Stevens Institute of Technology to a 78-77 victory over visiting Utica College on Saturday afternoon.  Utica's Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) drove the length of the floor and had a chance at a lay-up with one second left in the contest but Stevens' freshman Spencer Cook blocked the shot to preserve the victory for the Ducks. 

Ayarza gave Utica a 77-75 lead with 14 seconds left on the game clock when he drove the lane and sunk a clutch floater to give the Pioneers their final advantage of the contest.

Utica's record fell to 5-13 overall and 5-4 in Empire 8 play. Saturday's contest against Stevens may have been proof of the Pioneers continued improvement from the first semester. Although the Ducks (13-4, 7-2 Empire 8) completed the regular season sweep of Utica, the second meeting was a stark improvement from the early season 18 point loss at home against Stevens.

Utica junior forward Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) netted 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds to go along with two blocks. Junior point guard Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) added a season-high 19 points, while Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) chipped in with 11 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Klimchak paced the Ducks with 24 points, while Patrick Barron added 17 points.

The score was knotted at 23-23 at the 10:33 marker of the first half before the Ducks used a 10-0 run in the next 5:10 to push its lead to 33-23 with 5:23 left in the first half. Stevens then moved its lead to as many as 19 points, 48-29, with 45 seconds left before the half. Iton finished the first half scoring with a three point play to set the score at 48-32 as the halftime buzzer sounded.

Utica opened the second half on a 28-12 run to cut their deficit to just three points, 60-57, with 8:55 to go in regulation. Both teams went back and forth down the stretch and the score was tied on six occasions in the final 5:18.

The Pioneers shot 55.6% from the floor in the second half and also made 13-of-15 free throws in the final 20 minutes. Freshman classmates Hunter Remley (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) and Justin Strielkauskas (Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross) each added six points for Utica, while Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro) and Miles McNeill (Rochester, NY/Aquinas) each netted three points. Utica scored 13 of its points off of turnovers and they added 38 points in the paint.

Utica returns home on Thursday when it hosts Nazareth College in Empire 8 Conference play at 8 p.m.