Box Score ALFRED, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team remained flawless in conference play topping Alfred University 70-67 on Saturday evening.
 
Utica shot a calm 17-for-20 from the free throw line and was attacking the paint all afternoon with a strong 48 points in the paint.
 
Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) led Utica with 18 points including going a perfect 10-for-10 from the charity stripe. Thompson also corralled four rebounds and dished out five assists during the contest. Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) shined once again pouring in 15 points on an impressive 7-for-9 shooting. 
 
Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) each scored 12 points and brought in at least three boards with Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) adding nine points including some clutch free throws late in the game. Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) did it all per usual scoring four points with three rebounds and two assists.
 
The Pioneers started the game off with a bang as Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) slammed home a dunk for a quick 2-0 lead. Call and Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) each scored a bucket to put Utica up 6-0 yet Alfred's offense started to come alive and took a slim 10-8 edge at the 14:36 mark. However, a Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) layup gave the Pioneers a 14-12 lead.
 
The teams kept exchanging brief leads before Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) turned in a few strong possessions with five points including an and-one to give the Pioneers a 24-18 advantage. Alfred remained resilient, matching buckets with Utica but the Pioneers offense prevailed using a strong run at the end of the first half to take a 38-32 lead into the break.
 
The Saxons came out firing and cut the Utica lead to just 38-36 just over two minutes into the second half. Alfred remained hot on offense and took a brief 41-40 lead at the 14:58 mark after converting a few layups in a row. Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) canned a jumper to retake a brief Utica lead but the Saxons continued to get to the basket and hit their free throws and grasped a slim 47-44 advantage at the 11:57 mark of the second half.
 
A Brantley jumper cut the lead to one, yet Alfred quickly responded with a jumper of its own. Utica started to attack the paint and get to the free throw line as Brantley and Thompson each went 2-for-2 from the line to take a 50-49 edge at the 9:25 mark. Thompson continued driving and cashed another pair or free throws to extend the lead to 52-49. Layups by Foley and Thompson further increased the Pioneers advantage to 56-49 and forced an Alfred timeout at the 7:06 mark.
 
Buckets by Thompson, Foley and Bourgault pushed the team's lead to 62-54 with just under four minutes left in regulation. Alfred cut into the lead knocking down a pair of free throws yet the Pioneers offense continued to score at will with a Thompson and-one pushing the lead to 65-56 with 3:10 left to play. Alfred would not go down easy as the team put together a small scoring run and trailed just 65-61 with 39 seconds to play. However, the Pioneers would knock down their free throws and hang on for a 70-67 Empire 8 road victory.
 
Utica (13-2, 6-0 Empire 8) will return home and host Hartwick College on Tuesday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.