Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is home on Saturday, as they matchup with E8 opponent Houghton. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m.
UC Hoops Cares: Saturday's games will be dedicated to Utica Police Officer and former UC lacrosse player, Ben Winkler '13, who recently passed away. A 50/50 raffle and a bake sale will take place during the men (2 p.m.) and women's (4 p.m.) games. All funds collected at the event will be donated to the Northern NY Community Foundation, which will be designated to create a scholarship in honor of Officer Ben Winkler.
Last Time Out: UC fell to Nazareth in its last contest, with the final score reading, 84-76.
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) tallied 14 points and eight rebounds to lead the team.
Justin Strielkauskas (Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross) scored a season-high 14 points to go with five boards.
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) finished with nine points and five blocks, while
Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) also scored nine points coming off the bench. The loss pushed the Pioneer's record to 10-9 overall and 5-5 in Empire 8 play.
The Road Ahead: After Saturday's contest, UC will play just five more games in the regular season. The team goes on a three-game road trip, as it matches up against Sage, Hartwick, and Elmira next week. Utica will return home for its final two regular season games against Alfred and Stevens. On February 23rd, the Empire 8 Conference Tournament will begin where the top four teams in the conference will compete. With a 5-5 record in the conference, the team is currently fifth in the standings with time to make a push for the conference tournament.
Scouting Houghton: The Highlanders are 3-16 overall this season and are currently 0-10 in Empire 8 competition. The team is now on a 15-game losing streak after losing to Alfred, 75-74. Carl Holmes shot extremely well in the loss, finishing with a game-high 28 points on 11-for-13 from the floor. Dylan Lambert recorded 25 points, six assists, and six rebounds in the contest. Lambert leads the team and the conference in scoring, as he averages 21.9 points per game. He also is tops on the squad and ranks eighth in the E8, snagging 6.4 rebounds per game.
Against Houghton: UC defeated Houghton earlier this season on the road, with a final score of 72-56.
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) led the way, as he recorded 19 points (8-for-12 FG), five assists, and four steals.
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) notched a double-double on 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) scored 10 points, while
Hunter Remley (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) tallied 10 points and three blocks. Carl Holmes was Houghton's playmaker in the loss, finishing with 23 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Jordan Holmes contributed nine points and five boards, while Antonio Deadmon scored seven points for the Highlanders. UC will look to sweep the regular season series against Houghton on Saturday.
Up Next: The Pioneers return to action on February 6th, when they travel to face Sage for some Empire 8 competition. The game is set to tip-off at 6 p.m.
