Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is set to host Alfred University on Friday and Stevens on Saturday, to close out the regular season. Friday's contest starts at 6 p.m., while Saturday's game is scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m.
Last Time Out: The Pioneers took care of business on the road against Elmira, winning by a score of 89-76.
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) was extremely efficient in the game, shooting 9-for-12 from the field and 8-for-9 at the foul line on his way to scoring a game-high 26 points.
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) recorded 14 points and seven rebounds, while
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College) tallied 13 points and seven rebounds. Freshman
Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) came off the bench to put up eight points and seven rebounds, which included five offensive rebounds for the team. With the win, Utica extends its winning streak to four games with just two games remaining on the schedule.
E8 Player of the Week: Senior
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) was named the Empire 8 Men's Basketball Player of the Week, on Monday, for his performance during the team's three game road trip. Iton averaged 17.6 points 12 rebounds and 1.3 blocks throughout three crucial road wins last week for the Pioneers. Against Sage, Ivan recorded a double-double with 14 points and tied his career-high with 15 rebounds. In the win over Hartwick, Iton posted 13 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks for his eighth double-double of the year. To finish off the road trip, he erupted for 26 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in the 89-76 victory over Elmira.
Senior Day: Saturday's game against Stevens will be the final home game of the season for UC, as the team will hold its Senior Day. The seniors;
Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick),
Miles McNeill (Rochester, NY/Aquinas),
Bennito Ayarza (Brooklyn, NY/Cayuga Community College),
Christian Rodriguez (Queens, NY/Cayuga Community College), and
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining), will be celebrated as it will be the last home game of their careers. Prior to the start of the game, the players and their families will be recognized during a short Senior Day ceremony.
Conference Standings: The Pioneers currently on a 14-9 overall record and are 9-5 in Empire 8 competition. After going 3-0 in its most recent road trip, UC is on a four-game winning streak and has moved up to fourth place in the conference standings. With the top four teams making the E8 Tournament, the current seeding is as follows: 1. Stevens (12-2 E8), 2. Nazareth (13-3), 3. Alfred (10-4 E8), 4. Utica (9-5 E8). The team will need to sustain its position in the standings to earn a spot in the conference tournament for the second consecutive year under Head Coach
Sean Coffey.
Alfred Matchup: The Saxons from Alfred University are 17-6 overall and 10-4 against Empire 8 opponents this season. The team beat Nazareth, 89-87, in its last contest on a game-winning 3-point shot by Nick Schmidt with seven seconds left in the game. Schmidt led the way with 19 points, while Scotty Stopera put up nine points and nine assists. Sage Brown and Dalton Cousin combined for 31 points and 14 rebounds in the win. In the first meeting between Alfred and Utica, the Saxons won on their home court by a score of 78-54.
Hunter Remley (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) and
Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) combined for 24 points in the loss, as freshman
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) added nine points (3-for-3 3-pt) off the bench. AU benefitted from balanced scoring, as five players reached double figures. UC looks to split the season series with Alfred, as Friday's meeting holds playoff implications for both teams.
Stevens Matchup: The Stevens Ducks are boasting an 18-5 overall record to go with a 12-2 record within the Empire 8. The team defeated Houghton, 88-46, in its last time out as 16 players on the roster registered points in the game. Spencer Cook led the way with 12 points and six rebounds in the win. Frank Amari scored 11 points, while Thomas Cook snagged 10 rebounds. The Ducks received an incredible 57 points from their reserves in the contest. In the previous matchup between UC and Stevens, the Pioneers fell with the final score reading 85-54.
Hunter Remley (Cranford, NJ/Cranford) led Utica with 11 points and five rebounds in the loss. Four players reached double-digits for Stevens, as the team shot a total of 28-for-32 at the free throw line. Spencer Cook scored a game-high 12 points to go with his six rebounds for the Ducks. Saturday's rematch is crucial for both teams, as the outcome will affect seeding for the Empire 8 Tournament.
E8 Tournament: With this weekend being the final week of regular season play, the Empire 8 Conference Tournament is scheduled to begin on February 23rd. The Pioneers need to remain in the top four spots in the conference standings to clinch a berth into the E8 Tournament.
