UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team cruised to an 83-66 conference victory over Alfred University on Friday night.
 
Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) poured in 22 points with nine boards, two assists, and three blocks shooting an impressive 11-for-16 from the field. Justice Brantley (Catskill, NY/Catskill) scored 19 points with three boards, one block and two steals. 
 
Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian) had a great game setting with nine points while setting a new career-high with five steals and tied his career-high with six assists and displayed phenomenal vision setting up multiple highlight plays. Luke Bourgault (Troy, NY/LaSalle Institute) scored 15 points with six boards, two assists and one steal.
 
Alfred jumped out to a quick 8-2 run canning a pair of triples. Yet the Utica offense got fired up with Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) slamming home a dunk to cut the Saxons lead to 8-7 at the 15:35 mark. The Pioneers offense started to roll with Call and Bourgault nailing jumpers to put the team up 18-10 halfway through the frame.
 
Utica used an eight-point scoring run to open a 26-13 edge with Barasa and Foley scoring during the run. The Saxons hung around hitting some timely jumpers, but Brantley hit some key buckets down the stretch to aid Utica in taking a 42-33 lead at the half.
 
The Pioneers came out firing in the second half with a strong nine-point scoring run to take a commanding 51-33 advantage with Call and Thomas Morreale (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) each hitting multiple jumpers during the run. Alfred matched Utica's offense, cutting the lead to 66-57 with 8:11 left to play.
 
Utica clutched up with Bourgault nailing a triple and Call hitting a nifty jumper to push the lead back to 15 with just over five minutes left in the game. The Pioneers played lockdown defense down the stretch to secure the 83-66 Empire 8 victory.
 
Utica (21-3, 14-1 Empire 8) will host Elmira College on Saturday, February 17 at 4 p.m. in its final game before the Empire 8 Conference Tournament and honor its seniors with a brief ceremony before the game.