UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team improved to a perfect 10-0 mark in Empire 8 play after its 85-70 win over the Hartwick College Hawks on Friday night. 
 
Darius Hopkins (Tampa, FL/Seffner Christian) led Utica in scoring with a game high 21 points off 8-for-12 shooting and was 3-for-5 from three-point range. Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) dropped 15 points to go along with seven rebounds and two steals for another solid game in his senior campaign. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) and Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) provided a strong charge off the bench as Thompson scored 15 and Bourgault provided 11 points and helped the Pioneers on the boards with seven rebounds. Avery Coston (Kerhonkson, NY/Rondout Valley) was steady with nine points and Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) scored eight and was a defensive anchor as he protected the paint with four blocks and two steals.  
 
Utica was scorching hot to start the game as buckets were raining down in bunches. The Pioneers didn't miss a shot up until eight minutes into the half. Their early start was fueled by Hopkins who had 11 of Utica's first 22 points during this stretch. Hartwick would claw its way back as the half progressed as they inched within four points with thirty seconds remaining. Hopkins would send Utica back to the locker room with a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pioneers a 42-35 lead going into the second half. 
 
Along with Hopkins' 17 points in the first half on 7-of-8 shooting, Morreale, Thompson, and Bourgault added six points each to pace the offense.  
 
Hartwick managed to hang around as the first half began before Utica started to pull away. Strong second half efforts from Brantley and Thompson helped the Pioneers build their lead in the second half. Brantley poured in 12 second half points while Thompson added nine. Bourgault and Coston provided steady production in the second as well, scoring five a piece in the half.  
 
Utica's strong defensive abilities in the second half forced Hartwick into 11 turnovers while its poise on the offensive end allowed them to pull away towards the end. It was a strong game from start to finish for the Pioneers as they never wavered during Hartwick's attempts to come back. 
 
Utica (15-2, 10-0 Empire 8) will remain home on Saturday to host Russell Sage College at 4 p.m. for the Real Men Wear Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Game.