UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team fell in its Empire 8 Conference opener to conference newcomer SUNY Brockport by a score of 70-68 on Tuesday evening. 
 
Leading the way for the Pioneers was Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) who recorded a team high 22 points (6-15 FG, 3-9 3PT, 7-7 FT), while adding five rebounds, one block, and two steals. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) put together a solid outing for the Pioneers with 17 points (6-18 FG, 5-6 FT) while dishing out two assists and swiping himself four steals. Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) put together his second double-double of the season, netting 10 points (5-15 FG) and nabbing 10 boards with two assists and one block. Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) reinvigorated the offense off the bench with two massive threes and eight total points (3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT). 
 
The opening frame would see the Golden Eagles start the scoring early, getting on the board less than 15 seconds into the contest. Utica would respond quickly with a jumper from Thompson less than 15 seconds later. Brockport would set the pace, with crucial early turnovers from the Pioneers allowing the Golden Eagles to grow to a three possession lead with just over two minutes gone in the opening frame. Utica would then go on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 10 after a long two and a half minutes with either team unable to score. Both teams would continue to trade blows and once again lock at 17, and it would be the Golden Eagles that would break another long scoring drought. The quick pace would continue for both teams, but it would be Brockport that would go into the halftime break with the edge at 32-31. 
 
Coming out of the break, both teams would continue to trade blows at a quick pace, going 7-5 in the first three and a half minutes of the second stanza. Another scoring drought would loom over both teams, as once more two and a half minutes would elapse without a basket for either side. With half of the second frame gone, the Pioneers would be able to keep up with the Golden Eagles, going basket for basket, with neither team holding on to a larger than one possession lead. A 6-2 run with just about 10 minutes remaining in the second stanza would allow the Pioneers the opportunity to grow into a lead, but it would be short lived. Utica would come within four with less than 10 seconds left in the contest when a costly Golden Eagle foul would send Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) to the line to shoot three free throws, putting the Pioneers within one. A last stitch effort by Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) to try and tie the game would come up empty, and it would be the Golden Eagles that would walk away with the win to open conference play, 70-68. 
 
Utica (6-4, 0-1 Empire 8) returns to action on Friday, January 10 as the team travels to west for a rematch of last season's conference championship with the Nazareth Golden Flyers. Tip off from Rochester, NY is set for 7:30pm.