Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is on the road again, as it matches up with cross-town rival SUNY Poly on Tuesday. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 5 p.m.
Last Time Out: In their last game the Pioneers fell to the University of Rochester, 72-67, in the championship game of Rochester's Chuck Resler Tournament.
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT) led the team with 16 points, while
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) finished with 14 points and six boards.
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) tallied eight points and eight boards, as teammate
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) added 10 points of his own. The loss puts UC's record to 1-1, early on in the season.
Stortini's Strong Start: Senior guard,
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT), joined the team in the second half of the season last year as a transfer from RIT. Although he did not play much last season, it is clear he will be a vital piece of UC's game plan this year. In his first start as a Pioneer, against TCNJ, Stortini went off for 23 points on 9-for-16 shooting. He currently leads the team with an average of 19.5 points per game and owns a field goal percentage of 50%. As he grows more comfortable within Head Coach
Sean Coffey's system, look for Stortini to continue putting up big scoring numbers.
Bench Production: The Pioneers have been getting quality minutes from players coming off the bench early on in the year. During the first two games, the team has recorded a total of 48 bench points which accounts for about 35% of its offense.
Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro) has provided a spark for UC as a reserve player, averaging 10 points per game. In the win over TCNJ
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) scored nine points, while
Shawn Gashi (Central Square, NY/Bishop Grimes) contributed seven points and five assists coming off the bench. Utica's depth will be an asset for the team moving forward.
Deep Range Shooting: In the first two games of the season, the Pioneers have been letting it fly from beyond the 3-point arc. As a team UC is currently 19-for-43 on 3-point field goals, owning a 3-point percentage of around 42%.
Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro),
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT), and
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) have been great from outside early this season. Jollie has shot 6-for-8 from 3-point land, for a healthy 3-point percentage of 75%. Stortini is 5-for-12 from deep, while Lufkin is 3-for-5 and shooting at a 60% clip. The long ball can be powerful weapon for the Pioneers this season if they continue to light it up from deep.
Scouting Poly: The SUNY Poly Wildcats are currently sitting at a record of 1-1 after losing to John Carroll University in the championship game of the Hilbert Tip-Off Tournament, 115-89. The Wildcats had five players reach double-digits in the high scoring affair. Josh Gregory led the way with 19 points off the bench, while Redell Freeman scored 16 points of his own. Kevin Williams finished with 14 points, Peyton Griffiths added 13, and Frank Reali notched 11 points for the team. Gregory is the team's leading scorer as he averages 24.5 points per game so far this year. SUNY Poly is averaging 94 points per game as a team early on in the season. Last year the Pioneers fell to the Wildcats with a final score of 63-58.
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers return to action on November 27th for their home opener, as they play host to Cazenovia. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.
