UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team earned its third straight victory to begin the season after defeating the Buffalo State Bengals in the team's home opener by a score of 80-63 on Wednesday evening. 
 
Four Pioneers finished with double digit points in Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) (19pts, 7-10 FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-9 FT), Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) (16pts, 5-10 FG, 2-6 3PT, 4-5 FT), Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) (14pts, 5-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-4 FT) and Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) (11 pts, 4-8 FG, 2-3 3PT, 1-2 FT). Call and Teague led the defensive front, recording six and five defensive rebounds respectively, each recording two steals, and Teague adding a block. Thompson tallied three steals, and Seidina Doukoure (Bronx, NY/The Macduffie School) added a block to his stat line for the evening. As a team, the Pioneers recorded 24 points off turnovers and were dominant in the paint with 36 points coming from inside the lane. 
 
The opening frame would see a back-and-forth battle between both teams, with 10 total points being scored in the first four minutes. Neither team would be able to break out to a lead greater than one possession until back-to-back jumpers for the Bengals would put the Pioneers behind by six. A three from Thompson, back-to-back dunks from Foley and Call, and a three from Teague would put Utica back in it on a one-point deficit at 28-27 with just under six and a half minutes left in the first half. Less than 30 seconds later, a three from Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) would put the Pioneers back in the saddle with a one possession lead. Utica would then be able to pull ahead in the frame, heading into the break with a four-point lead on the Bengals at 39-35. 
 
Utica would come out of the break firing, not allowing the Bengals to make up the deficit early, growing the lead to as much as seven on points from Doukoure, Call, and Foley with just under two and a half minutes elapsing in the second stanza. The Pioneers would keep the momentum going, not allowing the Bengals to get within as little as eight halfway through the second frame. Utica's offensive pressure would keep building and a made free throw from Levi Spina (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort Schuyler) would seal the deal for the Pioneers, marking the team's third straight win, 80-63. 
 
Utica (3-0, 0-0 Empire 8) returns to action on Saturday as the team travels north to take on the SUNY Potsdam Bears. Game time in Potsdam, NY is set for 2pm.