UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team returns to action at 6 p.m. on Monday as the team returns home to host the Cazenovia College Wildcats. Following Monday's non-conference contest, the Pioneers will travel to Russell Sage College at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and then to Hartwick College at 4 p.m. on Saturday for its early portion of Empire 8 play. 
 
Follow Along: Those unable to make it to Miga Court on Monday night can watch live or follow along with live stats through https://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/. 
Last Time Out: Utica claimed local bragging rights after defeating the SUNY Poly Wildcats on the road 90-53 on November 21. Utica opened up with an 18-8 lead through the first eight minutes of play as the team was in full control early on. However, the Wildcats stormed back with a 13-0 run over a 2:30 span to claim a 21-18 advantage. From there, it was all Pioneers. Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) got the team off the schneid with a pair of free-throws before Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) regained the lead for Utica with a layup off of a Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) dish. Poly answered back with a quick bucket to even the score at 23-23 before the Pioneers closed the final seven minutes of the first half on a 21-6 run to enter halftime ahead 44-29. Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) opened the second half red-hot, netting six of the team's first eight points while Empire 8 Rookie of the Week Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) also went off for 10 points in a 4:30 span to help push the team out front 70-39. The Pioneers kept their foot on the gas over the final 10 minutes to cruise away with the win. Brantley collected a double-double on the night with a team high 19 points on 57.1 percent shooting as well as with a team high 14 rebounds. Thompson totaled 18 points (7-12 FG, 4-5 FT) over 23 minutes of work while Bourgault (12 points, 4-4 FG) and Coston (11 points, 3-4 3PT, 2-2 FT) finished with double-digit points. Thompson also added five rebounds to his stat line as well as a share of the team lead with two assists and steals each. 
 
A Hero's Welcome: Prior to tip-off on Monday, the Utica men's basketball team will honor the 2022 Utica University football team for its historic season. The Pioneers set program records with its first double-digit win season which led to the highest winning percentage in the 20-plus year history of the team at the varsity level. The team also captured its first ever NCAA Tournament berth and with a win over No. 11 Susquehanna University in the first round, the program's first ever tournament win.
 
Show me the Points: The Pioneers' offense has been on full display through their first pair of games this season. At 92 points per game, the team leads the Empire 8 while also ranking tied for ninth in Division III. With that, Utica tops the E8 with a 50.8 field goal percentage as well as with 47.1 three-point percentage and a 81.5 free throw percentage. Those marks are each near the top of the DIII ranks also as the team is second in the country in free throw and three-point percentage and 14th in field goal percentage. 
 
Hot Out of the Gates: Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) couldn't have asked for a better start to his collegiate career. After being named Empire 8 Rookie of the Week on November 21 following a nine point outing against Morrisville State, Thompson took his game to the next level. In Utica's win over Poly, Thompson netted 18 points on 7-for-12 shooting over 23 minutes of play. He also added five rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals to his stat line in the win. Through two games he is one of four Pioneers averaging double-digit points while his 57.9 field goal percentage leads the team for anyone with over 10 shots attempted. 
 
Justice Served: Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) made his presence felt in Utica's win at SUNY Poly last Monday. The senior recorded a 19 point, 14 rebound double-double while shooting 8-for-14 from the field as well as recording two steals. So far, Brantley finds himself at the top of the team ranks averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds per gram while his 16 points rank ninth in the E8 and his 11 boards are second in the league. 
 
About Caz: The Wildcats will make the trip to Utica with a 4-3 overall record while also on a two-game losing skid. Cazenovia has outscored opponents 77.3-73 over its first seven games of the season while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 32.7 percent from beyond the arc. Four players average double figures in points in Christian Sage, Kobe Bogart, Alan Williams Jr. and Nate Klein. Bogart has shown no fear shooting the ball as he leads the team with 88 field goal attempts (37-88) however, it is Sage who leads the team with 15 points per game; most of which coming from his team-leading 13 three-pointers made. Overall, the team has struggled with securing the ball through the early goings of the year. The Wildcats have averaged 14.3 turnovers per game whereas the Pioneers have caused 17 per game including an average of 7.5 steals. Utica leads the all-time series between the teams while having won the last 11 games dating back to 2003. 
 
Scouting Sage: The Gators enter the week 2-3 overall and will travel to MCLA on Tuesday prior to hosting Utica on Friday. Through the early goings of the season, Sage finds itself seventh in the Empire 8 averaging 66.2 points per game while ranking sixth in the league allowing 73.4 points per game. However, the Gators have only allowed over 80 points one time this season which came at the hands of SUNY Delhi in the team's season opener. Jackson Brown leads the offense averaging 16.8 points per game, a top-10 mark in the E8. The team has also done exceptionally well on the boards as it ranks second in the conference averaging 39.2 rebounds per game, 30 of which coming on the defensive end of the floor. Since Sage joined the Empire 8 in 2018, Utica has taken eight of the 10 all-time meetings between the teams including the last four in a row and six of the last seven. 
 
A Look at Hartwick: The Hawks have begun their season 1-3 overall and will host Keuka College on Friday prior to hosting Utica on Saturday. Hartwick has struggled on both ends of the floor as a unit as the team ranks last in the E8 averaging 62.3 points per game and eighth allowing 81 points per game to opponents. With that, the Hawks also rank last in the league with a 37.1 field goal percentage and with an opponent field goal percentage of 50.6. Rebounding has also been troublesome for Hartwick as the team is last in the E8 averaging 28.3 boards per game. Sammuel Prosper has commanded the offense for the Hawks as he ranks within the top-10 in the conference averaging 15.8 points per game and is the lone double-digit scorer on the team. The Pioneers have found success against Hartwick in recent years, having won five meetings in a row and seven of the last eight (its only loss coming in 2019 in a 72-70 overtime defeat). 

Up Next: Utica will remain on the road when the team travels to nearby Hamilton College at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 8.