UTICA NY–The Pioneers hosted Nazareth University in the Empire 8 Tournament Semifinal this week in hopes of advancing to the conference championship game for the second year in a row. Utica went into this matchup on an eight game winning streak, with their last win being in the first round of the post-season tournament against Houghton University. The Pioneers kept their streak going as a Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) fueled offense defeated Nazareth by a score of 85-79.
Teague finished the night with a career high 22 points. He shot 64 percent from the field and registered nine rebounds with two assists. Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) also had a night to remember, scoring his new career-high of 16 points. Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was efficient on both ends of the court as he scored seven points, logged seven assists and ten rebounds. Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) was a key factor in Utica's offense as he scored 14 points, with 12 of them coming from beyond the arc, he shot 80 percent from three.
As a team, the Pioneers shot 50 percent from the field compared to the Golden Flyers 40 percent. Utica shot 30 percent from deep and registered 39 total rebounds.
The Golden Flyers opened up scoring in the first half when Luke Insley was able to drive to the basket and finish the uncontested lay-up. Utica was quick to answer as freshman Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) hit a three-pointer on the other end for the Pioneers first bucket of the night. Nazareth guard Jaylen Savage did not take long to get hot as he hit a pull up jumper for two for his first basket of the night three minutes into the game, he then went on to hit a shot from beyond the arc in his next possession giving the Golden Flyers a four point lead. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) did not let Savage's points go unanswered as he did what he does best and hit a three-pointer of his own making the scoreline 9-6 in favor of Nazareth. With 12 minutes to go in the half, Thompson was able to drive to the hoop and go up for a contested lay-up, the shot fell short but he gathered the offensive rebound and finished the easy bucket bringing the scoreline to 17-10, the Pioneers still trailing.
Teague started his night off with 10 minutes to go in the half as he pulled up for two, in the Pioneers next possession Teague found the ball once again, this time on the wing for a wide open three-pointer, 17-15 Nazareth. After a pull-up jumpshot from Savage, Utica's Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) got the inbound pass and used his speed to drive to the paint, scoring a heavily contested lay-up with just over five minutes to go in the half. Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) got himself involved next as he dished the ball to Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) for the easy lay-up. In Utica's next possession, Call found Flynn once again for another easy bucket in the paint. Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) was next to score, tying the game 27-27. Cain then found the ball on the wing and hit his second three-pointer of the night, putting the Pioneers in the lead for the first time with just under three minutes to go in the half. The duo of Call and Flynn were not done, as Call spun off of his defender, drawing Flynn's man, allowing for an easy pass and bucket for the third time of the night. The Pioneers ended the half shooting 52 percent compared to the Golden Flyers 42 percent. Savage led Nazareth with 15 points as Teague led Utica with seven points. Cain and Flynn also were key factors in the Pioneers offense both scoring six points each. Call had an impressive half on both ends of the court, tallying five rebounds and four assists. Thanks to consistent scoring from both sides, the half ended in a 32-32 tie.
Cain opened up the scoring in the second half of play with his third three-pointer of the game just 20 seconds into the half. In Utica's next possession Cain found the ball on the wing once again and hit another shot from beyond the arc giving the Pioneers a 38-37 lead. After a missed jump shot from Savage, Call gained the ball in transition for a familiar play as he dished the ball to Flynn for an easy lay-up with 17 minutes to go in the game. With just under 15 minutes to go, Cain drove to the paint and missed the contested lay-up, Teague was able to grab the offensive board and score, drawing a foul. He converted on the free-throw giving Utica a seven point lead. Call continued his unselfish style of play as he tallied another assist, this time dishing it to Teague for the bucket, bringing the score to 49-42 in favor of Utica with 13 minutes to go. The Golden Flyers' Savage then drove to the paint and put up the contested shot, it was swatted away by Teague, the play did not end there as Teague scored a tap in bucket on the other end, putting the Pioneers in the lead 53-44 with 10 minutes left in the half.
Call scored his first points of the night as he drove to the paint and scored, drawing the foul, he converted on the free-throw for the three-point play giving Utica a ten-point lead. With just over five minutes to go, Utica's Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy) found himself open on the wing and hit the three-pointer stretching the Pioneers lead to 13. The Golden Flyers' Solomon McFarlane answered with a corner three of his own bringing the deficit back to ten with four minutes left to go. McFarlane hit another three-pointer with just over two minutes to go, bringing the scoreline to 73-64 in favor of the Pioneers. Nazareth began fouling with just under two minutes left in the game in order to stop the clock. Despite a series of missed free-throws from the Pioneers and a pair of three-point plays from Nazareth, Utica managed to keep the lead until the final buzzer. The game ended with the Pioneers coming out on top 85-79.
This win advanced the Pioneers to the Empire 8 Conference Championship game for the second year in a row. Utica will now take on the SUNY Poly Wildcats at home in the Empire 8 Conference Championship at 3pm on Saturday, March 1.
