UTICA, NY- Five different players scored in the double-digits as the Utica College men's basketball team cruised to a 102-72 win over visiting Anna Maria College in the opening game of the 2019 Utica College Classic Sunday afternoon.
With the win, Utica improves to 7-2 on the year and captures its third straight victory. The Pioneers will return to action Monday as they wrap up the tournament against SUNY Delhi. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The Pioneers began to pull away towards the end of the first half and Utica carried a 53-34 lead into the locker room at halftime. UC kept up the pressure in the second stanza, outscoring the visitors by 11 points over the final 20 minutes of play.
Freshman
Brett Talbert (Deer Park, NY/Knox School) led the Pioneers with 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting from the floor in 19 minutes of work. Talbert also totaled a team-high four steals and added four rebounds.
Senior
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) finished with 18 points and he also dished out a team-best three assists off the bench.
Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) chipped in with 15 points of his own, including 3-fo-4 from behind the arc.
Sophomore
Jackson Sullivan (Fairport, NY/Fairport) helped spark the Utica rally late in the first half as he finished with 11 points and five boards on the day. Freshman
Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) had another strong showing as he finished with 10 points and six rebounds, including five off the defensive glass. Morreale now has 10 or more points in four of his last five outings.
Eight other players chipped in offensively, led by senior
Hunter Remley (Cranford, NJ/Cranford), who finished with eight points.
Justin Worth (Catskill, NY/Catskill),
Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill),
Aaron Worley (Cambria Heights, NY/Holy Cross),
Chris Green (White Plains, NY/Alexander Hamilton)e,
Christopher Bamba (Kingston, NY/Kingston),
DJ Harter (Holland Patent, NY/Holland Patent), and
Marcus Davis (Gansevoort, NY/Saratoga Springs) also scored for the Pioneers.
