Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is on the road for Friday's matchup against Hamilton College. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers defeated Cazenovia, 75-68, in their first home game of the 2017-18 season.
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals on his way to earning a double-double.
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) also posted a double-double, tallying 10 points and 10 boards.
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) and
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT) both scored 12 points for UC in the contest. The seven-point victory improved Utica's record to 2-2 so far this year.
Jollie in the Clutch: With three of UC's first four games being decided by single digit points, the ability to make big shots during crunch time is vital. Sophomore
Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro) has been able to fulfill the team's need for clutch shots in the final minutes of a game. With 1:23 remaining against TCNJ, Jollie hit a 3-point shot to help secure UC's four point victory. He also hit a shot from beyond the arc with just 20 seconds left against the U of R. Tyler nailed another clutch 3-pointer in the win over Cazenovia, giving Utica a seven point lead with just 59 seconds on the clock. He has proven to be a reliable option for the team in late-game situations.
Statistical Leaders: Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) is currently the team's leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals going into Friday's contest. Iton averages 16.3 points, 7.8 boards, 2 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. Ivan has been efficient in scoring the ball, shooting 61.4% from the field which ranks third in the Empire 8.
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) is tops on the team with a free throw percentage of 80% and leads the team with an average of 3.3 assists per game.
Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro) is UC's top 3-point shooter thus far, shooting 8-for-13 and a percentage of 61.5% from long range.
Scouting Hamilton: The Continentals own an undefeated record of 4-0 early on in the season. The team has been lighting up the scoreboard, averaging 93.3 points per game. In its last game, Hamilton came away with a 104-66 victory over SUNY New Paltz. Vince Conn was the team's high scorer, finishing with 19 points on 7-for-9 shooting off the bench. Michael Grassey went 4-for-5 from 3-point territory, on his way to scoring 18 points. Kena Gilmour leads the team in points and rebounds with averages of 14.8 points and 7.8 boards per game.
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers will return to their home court on December 6th, to host Morrisville State College. The game will tip-off at 7 p.m.
