UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team and the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons will meet for the first time in seven years on Saturday in a game with early Region III ranking implications. Tip-off from Miga Court is set for 1 p.m. 
 
Follow Along: Those unable to make it to Miga Court on Saturday can keep up with live video and/or stats through https://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/. 
 
Last Time Out: Despite a valiant second half comeback by the Hamilton College Continentals, the Utica University men's basketball team outlasted its host 76-70 on December 8. The win moved Utica to 6-0 on the early season, adding the best start in program history since the 1995-96 season. The Pioneers put their foot down on the gas in the first half as the team found itself ahead 39-23 entering halftime. Utica held Hamilton without a point through the first 4:55 of the first half before a Continentals three-point bucket made it a 6-3 game. Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) went on to score the next five points in the game while a Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) jumper put the Pioneers up 13-3 with just under 13 left. Hopkins pulled off a heat-check in the ensuing minutes, netting eight of the team's next 10 points to help Utica jump ahead 23-14. Another three by Hopkins as well as clutch points down the stretch of the half by Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) and Brantley played a large part in the team's 16 point halftime lead. Utica shot 48.9 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes of action while holding the Continentals to 32.3 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from downtown. However, Hamilton did anything but shy away over the final 20 minutes of play. Although the Pioneers claimed to their same 16 point advantage with just around 8:30 left in the game, Hamilton sparked a 19-8 run over 4:30 to cut Utica's lead to 64-60. Baskets by Brantley, Hopkins and Morreale over a near three minutes stretch kept the Pioneers out front but Hamilton answered back with key shots of its own to keep within striking distance at 72-68 with 58 seconds to play. About 20 seconds later after Brantley went 1-for-2 from the free throw line, Hamilton stormed down the court for a quick layup to pull within three at 73-70 with 36 seconds to play. After being fouled, Hopkins also went 1-for-2 from the line to put Utica up 74-70. With the Continentals looking to extend the game, a plethora of missed shots led to a Morreale rebound as he was immediately fouled with 17 seconds to play. Morreale nailed both free-throws before coming up with a game sealing block in the paint as the Pioneers held on for the road win. Hopkins finished with team highs scoring 23 points (9-for-15 FG, 3-for-4 3FG) and with four assists. Brantley nearly had another double-double to his credit after an 18 point, eight rebound night. Coston (13) and Morreale (11) also finished with double-digit points while Morreale was second on the team with seven rebounds. Guard Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) topped the team with both 10 boards and four steals which was a large part in the team's 13 points off turnovers. 
 
Steady Riding: The win over Hamilton lifted the Pioneers to a 6-0 mark, adding to the best start the program has had since opening the 1995-96 season 11-0. It is also the third-winningest start to a season in program history (7-0 in 1989-90). Along with that, Utica also secured its third straight win over its nearby rivals; its longest winning streak over the continentals since taking four in a row from 1983-86. As of December 14, Utica is one of 14 undefeated teams left in Division III thanks to its fourth ranked plus-21 scoring margin. The team also remains within the top-30 in the nation in points per game, field goal percentage, three-point percentage and turnover margin. In the latest D3hoops.com top 25 poll, the Pioneers received two votes as the team begins to earn national recognition. 
 
Player of the Week: Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) earned his first Empire 8 weekly honor of the season as he was named the E8 Co-Player of the Week on Monday. Hopkins packed the stat sheet in Utica's 76-70 win at Hamilton College last Thursday. Hopkins led all scorers with 23 points coming from 60 percent shooting from the field (9-for-15) and 75 percent shooting from three (3-for-4). He also finished tied with a game high four assists while also recording two rebounds and a pair of steals.
 
Total Packages: The Pioneers have continued to find efficiency in a plethora of players this season. While Hopkins, Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill), Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) and Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) have been the focal points, the likes of Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) and Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) have shown their value on a nightly basis. Brantley, Hopkins, Morreale and Thompson are all currently top-20 scorers in the conference and top-12 in field goal percentage while Brantley and Morreale are also within the top-six in the E8 in rebounding. Coston has been consistent on both ends of the floor as the team's longest tenured player (8.7 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.2 SPG) and Bourgault has given the team scoring in bunches in 15 minutes per game off the bench (5.3 PPG, .480 FG%, .444 3PT%).
 
Opportunity Knocks: Others on the unit such as Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) and Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) continue to make the most of their opportunities as well. Although averaging seven minutes per contest, Flynn's high motor has guided him to 3-for-3 shooting on offense while his defense has made the difference with 11 total rebounds and a pair of blocks. As for Teague, the freshman has appeared in five games for a total of 33 minutes and in that time has shot 7-for-11 from the field and 3-for-3 from three-point territory. He's also recorded seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks in his time on the floor. 
 
Free Flying: While Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) has stepped into a larger role commanding the offense at point guard this season, the sophomore's most crucial trait may be his ability to crash the boards. Through six games, Barasa finds himself amongst the league's best rebounders as his 5.7 per game ranks 12th in the Empire 8. He set a career high with nine rebounds against Cazenovia on November 28 before breaking his own personal best mark three games later at Hamilton with 10. Barasa has also recorded at least three or more rebounds in each game this year. 
 
About Cortland: The Red Dragons will make their first trip to Miga Court since November 14, 2015 with a 7-1 record and a 5-0 mark in SUNYAC play while on a five-game winning streak. Travel will be nothing new for Cortland as the team has been on the road for each of its last four contests and is 5-1 away from home this year. The team finds itself in the middle of the SUNYAC rankings averaging 74.6 points per game and allowing 69.1 points per outing. The offensive attack has undoubtedly run through Austin Grunder, who leads the team and ranks within the top-25 in Division III averaging 21.5 points per game. He has also attempted 26 percent of the team's shots this season. The Red Dragons won't hurt teams with their three-point shooting (33.5 percent), but they make up for it with their presence inside and success from the free throw line (75.8 percent).   

Up Next: Utica will host SUNY Delhi at 4 p.m. on Thursday, December 29 in the first semifinal game of the Utica University Classic. After that game, the Pioneers will either play Oswego State, the highest receiving vote getter of teams outside of the top 25, or Emmanuel College in the championship/consolation game on December 30.