Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is on the road Tuesday, to battle E8 opponent Stevens. This in-conference competition is set to begin at 5 p.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers lost to St. John Fisher in their last contest by a score of 74-65, falling to 5-5 overall and 0-1 in conference competition.
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) led UC with 16 points, eight rebounds and four blocks.
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) finished with 13 points and seven rebounds, while
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT) added 11 points.
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) tallied nine points, four boards, four assists, and three steals in his efforts. It was the team's first loss at home so far this season, making their record at home now 4-1.
Statistical Leaders: Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) leads the team in points, rebounds, and blocks so far this season. His average of 8.3 rebounds per game ranks fourth in the E8, while his field goal percentage of 58.3% is third in the conference. Iton's 14.8 points per game ranks ninth in the Empire 8, while he also leads the league in blocks.
Joe Stortini (Rhinebeck, NY/RIT)'s 12 points per game is second on the team, while
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) is second on the squad with an average of six boards a game.
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) is leading the team with an average of 3.9 assists per game and has the top free throw percentage for UC (81%). Ayarza and Iton are tied for first on the squad with 13 steals each so far this year.
Scouting Stevens: The Ducks are in first place in the Empire 8, holding a record of 9-3 overall and 3-0 against conference opponents. The team is currently on a seven-game winning streak, heading into Tuesday's matchup. Stevens defeated Alfred in its last game, 77-70. Spencer Cook went 13-for-13 from the foul line, leading the way for the Ducks with 26 points and eight rebounds. Frank Amari scored 18 points of his own, while Michael Zignorski added nine points off the bench. Cook ranks third in the E8, averaging 18.3 points per game this season.
Against Stevens: The Pioneers faced Stevens twice during the regular season last year, before meeting them a third time in the Empire 8 Tournament. The Ducks won the first meeting by a score of 91-73, as five players reached double-digit points for Stevens. Stevens won the second matchup, in a close 78-77 game, despite UC outscoring is opponent by 15 points in the second half. Finally in the first round of the E8 tournament, Stevens came away with a third win over Utica last season, by a score of 79-71.
Looking Ahead: UC returns home on Thursday, in order to host Hartwick for another Empire 8 contest. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 6 p.m.
