UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team is set for its final two games of the regular season this week. The team will travel to take on cross-town rival and Empire 8 Conference newcomer SUNY Poly on Tuesday, February 18, with a tip off slated for 7:30pm. The team will then travel to Keuka Park, NY to take on the Keuka College Wolves on Wednesday, February 19 with a tip off slated for 7:30pm. Wednesday's game will serve as a makeup game for last weekend's postponement.
Follow Along: For those unable to attend, live video for Tuesday's matchup can be found here, and live stats can be found here. Live video for Wednesday's matchup can be found here, while live stats can be found here.
Last Time Out: The Utica University men's basketball team traveled to Elmira to face the Soaring Eagles last Friday night. The Pioneers delivered with an impressive offensive showing, securing a 100-80 victory over Elmira. Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) led all scorers with 26 points, shooting an impressive 68 percent from the field and 4-6 from beyond the arc. Foley also dished out five assists and grabbed two rebounds while contributing two steals defensively. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) had a well-rounded performance with 21 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was a force inside, recording a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Call also recorded a block, a steal, and five assists, making his presence felt on both ends of the court. Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) provided key minutes off the bench, contributing eight points, three rebounds, and three steals. Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) added seven points, four rebounds, three assists, and a block in a solid all-around effort.
Where We Stand: The Pioneers currently occupy the third seed in the conference with two games remaining. Utica has a chance to take over the second seed heading into the Empire 8 Conference tournament with a win over Poly on Tuesday. The Pioneers are currently the fourth best offense in the conference, averaging just under 78 points per game as a team. Utica has allowed just over 70 points per game to opponents, giving the Pioneers the best margin in the conference at 7.2. As a team, the Pioneers are one of the best shooting teams in the conference, shooting just under 47 percent from the floor this season. Utica is also the best three point shooting team in the conference, shooting just under 39 percent from outside this season, a mark that is good enough for the eighth best three point shooting team in the nation. Utica also has the best turnover margin in the conference, turning the ball over three times less than opponents.
Player of the Week: Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) has been named Empire 8 Men's Basketball Co-Player of the Week this week. Foley put together a stellar performance in the Pioneers only game this past week, a 100-80 win over Elmira. This was the first time this season that the Pioneers have scored in triple digits. Foley was good for 26 points on 69 percent shooting from the floor. Foley was also great from outside the arc, going 4-6. Foley also was able to spread the wealth, dishing out a team high five assists, along with two steals.
Scouting Poly: The Empire 8 Conference newcomer and cross-town rival SUNY Poly Wildcats are 16-8 on the season and are 11-4 in conference play. The Wildcats are averaging just under 80 points per game this season as a team, and are outscoring opponents by just over six points per game. Daimarr Miller and Anthony Rose are the team's leading scorers, averaging 15.5 points per game each. Rose is the team's top threat from the floor, shooting just under 50 percent this season. Rose also leads the team in blocked shots with 25. Miller is the team's top threat from outside, shooting 38 percent from beyond the arc. Kamryn Comstock is the team's leading rebounder, averaging 7.3 total rebounds per game. LaMarqus Merchant has been able to get the offense going for the Wildcats, registering 121 total assists this season. Merchant also holds the team lead in steals with 47. Last time the two teams met, back in January, Poly took the matchup by a score of 92-76. All time against the Wildcats, the Pioneers are 21-12, and 11-6 when visiting Poly.
A Look at Keuka: The Keuka College Wolves are 5-9 in the conference and 8-14 overall. The Wolves have been outscored by opponents by over seven points per game this season. Akinlana Popoola is the team's scoring leader with a total of 337 points this season, averaging 15.3 points per game. Popoola is the team's top shooter from the floor, shooting 41.5 percent, and 44.1 percent from outside the arc. Popoola does not just score for the team, he also leads the roster in steals with a total of 34 on the season. Will Tehan is also a notable player for Keuka as he has racked up 101 rebounds this season, with 81 of them being defensive. Makya Morrison has been a stout defender for Keuka, totaling 15 blocked shots this season. The last time the Wolves faced off against the Pioneers was the 23-24 season where Utica came out on top by a score of 88-70. Tehan registered 6 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds that game.
Up Next: The Pioneers will ready for the Empire 8 Conference Men's Basketball Championship Tournament. More information about ticketing, location, and opponents will be announced later this week.
