Utica, NY – The Utica College men's basketball team hosted Alfred University for a crucial Empire 8 contest. The visiting Saxons walked away with an 86-77 victory, behind a 52-point effort in the second half.
Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) scored a team-high 20 points and five rebounds for UC, while teammate
Shawn Gashi (Central Square, NY/Bishop Grimes) finished with 19 points.
Justin Strielkauskas (Waterbury, CT/Holy Cross) shot 7-for-8 at the charity stripe on his way to an 11-point outing off the bench.
Kimedrick Murphy (Hudson, NY/Hudson) filled the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.
The Pioneers got off to a hot start early, taking an 11-2 lead just three minutes into the contest. Gashi and Coston scored 12 points each in the first half, helping to stretch UC's lead to as many as 18 points. Coston nailed a deep three at the halftime buzzer, but Alfred had already cut into the lead as Utica held just a seven-point advantage going into the locker room.
Alfred came out firing from long range to start the second, hitting six 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the half. The 20-5 scoring run gave the visiting Saxons a 54-46 lead with plenty game left to play. Utica responded quickly, tying the game up with 12 minutes left on the clock. A few key baskets and some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch made the difference, as Alfred earned the 9-point win.
UC falls to 12-11 overall and 6-8 in Empire 8 Conference play. Friday's loss mathematically eliminates the team from making the E8 tournament. Coston, Gashi, and Strielkauskas all registered double-digit points in the game.
Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) went a perfect 5-for-5 at the foul line to earn his eight points as a reserve.
The Saxons improve to 19-4 overall and 12-2 in conference competition. Dom LeMorta led the way with a game-high 26 points (12-for-12 FT) and made five assists. Elliot Bowen, Cole Eells, Sage Brown, and Sam Dagon all posted double-figure scoring performances.
The Pioneers return home on Saturday for Senior Night, as they host Houghton College. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
