NEWARK, NJ - The Utica College men's basketball team cruised to a 84-67 season opening win over Eureka College on Friday night in the John K. Adams Tip-Off Classic at Rutgers-Newark University. 
 
The Pioneers offense came out guns blazing in the first half as the team outscored the Red Devils 42-29 in the first half. Chris Green (White Plains, NY/Alexander Hamilton) scored the first points of the year for UC on a layup 30 seconds into the game. Eureka took the next two buckets to take an early 4-2 lead which would serve as the first and last lead the team would have in the game. 
 
Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) evened the game on a layup before Kimedrick Murphy (Hudson, NY/Hudson) cashed in on a layup 80 seconds later for a 6-4 lead which, as the game ensued, would serve as the dagger. Utica led by as many as 16 points in the first period which came after a monster dunk by Call just over nine minutes into the first. 
 
UC began the second period on a 13-1 run, backed by nine points from Morreale, which led to a Red Devils timeout. The Pioneers led by as much as 28 at one point in the game en route to its 84-67 John K. Adams Classic semifinal win over Eureka College. Utica outshot Eureka from the field 60 percent to 40.6 percent while also besting the Red Devils from deep 47.1 percent (8-17) to 25 percent (6-24). 
 
Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) led the team with 31 points on 11-for-14 shooting from the field. The former Empire 8 Rookie of the Year also added seven rebounds, three blocks and two steals to his line while also cashing in on eight of 10 attempts from the charity stripe. Kobe Lufkin (Argyle, NY/Argyle) scored 16 points on 5-for-12 shooting, including a team high four three-pointers on eight attempts from deep. Guard Chris Green (White Plains, NY/Alexander Hamilton) played an all-around game, scoring 13 points to go with six rebounds and assists. Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) added eight points each in the winning effort. 
 
UC (1-0, 0-0 E8) will face the winner of Rutgers-Newark University and York College (NY) at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the John K. Adams Tip-Off Classic championship game.