KEUKA PARK, NY – The Utica University men's basketball team secured a dominant 78-58 victory over Keuka College on Wednesday night in the team's final regular season contest.
Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) led the Pioneers with 15 points, all coming from beyond the arc, shooting an efficient 5-6 from three-point range. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) contributed 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals, showcasing his all-around game. Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) added 12 points, four steals, and three assists, while Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was a force in the paint, posting 12 points, eight rebounds, and a team-high six assists.
To open the first half, Call started the early scoring onslaught for Utica with a dunk off an assist from Thompson, putting them up 2-0. Cain quickly added to the lead with a fast-break jumper and converted a free throw after drawing a foul, bringing the score to 5-0. Cain then forced a turnover, and allowed Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) to get in on the action early with a tip-in layup to increase the lead to three possessions. Thompson then drained a three-pointer from the wing, assisted by Call, extending the lead to 10-2. McCardle followed up with a three off a pass from Cain, increasing the score to 15-3 with 14 minutes remaining in the half. After a Keuka three, Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) continued his dominance in the paint after his performance last night converting on an and-one layup to push the Pioneer lead back to 12. Thompson then hit another three-pointer, making it 21-6 with 12 minutes remaining. A pair of made free throws from Call would keep the Wolves at bay, before Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) finished a layup off an assist from Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont), bringing the score to 27-14. McCardle would then hit his second three of the night before he would connect with Cain from deep, pushing the momentum further into the favor of the Pioneers. McCardle would then go on to hit his third three of the contest before a pair of made free throws from Cain would send the Pioneers into the break with a comfortable 39-28 lead.
In the second half, Keuka opened with a dunk, narrowing the score to 39-30. Call responded with a jumper in the paint, extending the lead to 41-30. Flynn finished a layup after grabbing an offensive rebound, bringing the score to 43-30. Call continued to contribute with another jumper, and Teague quickly converted a layup extending Utica's lead to 47-32. Thompson hit a mid-range jumper off an assist from Cain, making it 49-34. With just under 12 minutes remaining, Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) would get in on the action with a three, pushing the Pioneer lead to 16, followed by a jumper less than two minutes later. McCardle then caught fire, hitting his fourth three-pointer of the game, off a feed from Call, to bring the score to 60-44, with his final three of the night pushing the Pioneers back into a 20 plus point lead with six and a half minutes remaining. Call and Teague would contribute a pair of layups before Thompson would catch fire again from outside. A layup from Frank Lirano would seal the deal for the Pioneers, cruising to a 78-58 victory over the Wolves.
Utica (18-7, 12-4 Empire 8) will now host the Houghton University Highlanders in the first round of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center on Saturday, February 22 is set for 3pm.
