Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team is gearing up to play St. John Fisher College on the road Tuesday. Tip-off for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.
 
Last Time Out- UC currently has a record of 10-8 overall, with a 4-5 record in the Empire 8 conference. The team is coming off a loss to Nazareth College, 66-81, snapping a three game win streak. Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) was extremely efficient on the offensive end, putting up a team-high 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting. Coston also snagged eight rebounds for the Pioneers. Justin Strielkauskas (Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross) and Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) scored 12 points each, in their efforts off the bench.
 
Getting Buckets: Shawn Gashi (Central Square, NY/Bishop Grimes) is UC's leading scorer this season, ranking fourth in the Empire 8 Conference with an average of 17 points per game. Prior to the loss against Nazareth, Gashi had scored 20 points in three consecutive games. He has been consistent during his breakout sophomore season, being held to single digit points just three times all year. Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) has been a reliable scorer as well with his 11.4 points per game, while shooting 51.6% from the field and 41.7% from 3-point territory.
 
Providing Some Grit: Junior forward, Justin Strielkauskas (Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross) leads the Pioneers on the glass, averaging 5.6 boards per game. Strielkauskas is also fourth in the conference with 17 blocks. Kimedrick Murphy (Hudson, NY/Hudson) is not far behind, averaging 4.6 boards per game and has tallied 15 blocks on the season.
 
Scouting St. John Fisher: The Cardinals are currently 10-6 overall with a record of 5-2 in the E8. The team is holding third place in the conference standings heading into the matchup. Fisher is on a two game losing streak, recently losing to Nazareth College, 88-84. Sammy Robinson and Ryan Henderson are the top two scorers in the Empire 8, averaging 19.1 and 17.9 points a game respectively. Henderson shoots the ball at 58.3% from the field this season, marking the top field goal percentage in the Empire 8.
 
Recap of Last Meeting: Utica defeated Fisher, 68-66, when the two teams met earlier this season, UC's first win over fisher since 2012. Shawn Gashi (Central Square, NY/Bishop Grimes) went 5-for-7 from downtown on his way to a team-high 20 points. Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) and Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) combined for 25 in the game, while Tyler Jollie (Marlboro, NY/Marlboro) led the team with eight boards. The three-ball was an effective weapon for Utica in the win, shooting 10-for-21 as a team from long range.
 
Looking Ahead: The Pioneers get the weekend off, as they are scheduled to return to their home court next Tuesday to play Sage. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.