UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team is set for its second to last week of conference play this week. The tem travels to take on the Hartwick College Hawks on Friday, February 7 at 7:30pm, before returning home for its final home game of the regular season on Saturday, February 8 at 4pm. Saturday's contest will serve as the team's senior day.
 
Follow Along: For those unable to attend, live video for Friday's matchup can be found here, while live stats can be found here. Live video for Saturday's matchup can be found here, while live stats can be found here. 
 
Last Time Out: After a convincing 85-55 win against St.John Fisher last Friday night, the Pioneers were looking to continue their form as they host conference rivals Nazareth University last Saturday. They did just that as Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) scored 22 points and led the Pioneers to a memorable come-back victory. Thompson may have started off slow but once he got hot, the Golden Flyers could not cool him down. He shot 45 percent from the field, and on top of being the leading scorer, he registered five rebounds and two assists. Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) was also a major factor in the come-back victory as he dropped 18 points, four assists, and a staggering 11 rebounds.
 
Senior Day: Prior to Saturday's contest, the team would like to honor its seniors for their contributions to the program. Neruda Perdomo (New York, NY/Kimball Union Academy), Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian), Hagen Foley (Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy), Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy), and Devon Flynn (Red Hook, NY/Red Hook) will all be honored prior to the game.
 
Where We Stand: The Pioneers currently sit at fourth place in the conference with a 7-4 record. They are sitting just above a three-way tie between Sage, Houghton, and Alfred. WIth play-offs in the near future, the fourth and fifth seed are anyone's game. If the Pioneers continue to perform like they have been, and cross-town rivals Suny Poly drop a few games, Utica has a chance to take the third seed from the Wildcats. The two teams will face-off on Feb 18, giving the Pioneers the opportunity to directly steal a win from Poly. Utica currently has the fifth best offense in the conference, scoring 76.6 points per game, and the third best defense allowing opponents to score an average of 70.8 points per game. The Pioneers have the second best scoring margin in the conference, winning by an average of 6 points per game. They also have the second best three-point shooting in the conference, shooting 37 percent from deep. 
 
Called It: Damien Call (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) put together some fantastic all-around outings for the Pioneers this past week. Call was good for 47 points for an average of 15.7 points per game. From the floor, Call shot 48 percent across three games, and was good for 67 percent from the free throw line. As a rebounder, Call hauled in 25 total rebounds for an average of 8.3 rebounds per game. Call was also able to get the offense going, dishing out 13 assists in three games. Call also added five steals to his stat line. Against Poly, Call was good for 21 points on 44 percent shooting from the floor. Call hauled in 9 rebounds, with two assists, and two steals. Against Poly, Call was able to spread the wealth, dishing out a career high seven assists. Against Nazareth, Call was good for 18 points on 50 percent shooting from the floor. Call also hauled in 11 rebounds, with four assists, and two steals. 
 
Smith: Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) was the spark off the bench that the Pioneers needed to complete the 26 point comeback against Nazareth. Smith was good for 12 points on 63 percent shooting from the floor, and well as going a perfect 2-2 from three point range. Smith also nabbed five rebounds with one assist and a key block. Smith triggered a personal 7-0 run late in the second half against Nazareth that would lead the charge for the Pioneers.
 
A Look at Hartwick: The Hawks are currently 3-8 in conference play and 3-17 overall. Sophomore guard Mike Gitz leads the team offensively with 227 points this season, averaging 11 points per game. Gitz leads the team in shots beyond the arc with 57 total 3-pointers made, shooting 40 percent from deep. Sophomore forward Henry Perkins is the team's best defensive player with a total of 126 rebounds, 86 of them on the defensive end. The last time the Pioneers met the Hawks it was an overtime affair, with Utica coming out on top 86-83. Perkins was the team's leading scorer that game, dropping 22 points, going 9-16 in field goal attempts. 
 
Scouting Sage: Sage is 13-7 overall and 6-5 in conference play. Junior guard Trevor Green is having a standout year averaging 13 points per game with a total of 237 points this season. Green is shooting 40 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc. Sophomore forward Avery Oduro-Dompreh leads the team defensively averaging eight rebounds and just under two blocks per game. Guards Noah Girard and Brandon Harris have also heavily contributed to the team's success with both players averaging 12 points per game. The last time the Pioneers played the Gators, Utica came out on top by a score of 81-71. Oduro-Dompreh had a night to remember as he logged 17 points, two assists, and five rebounds. 
 
Up Next: The Pioneers will be away against Elmira College on Friday, Feb 14. Tip-off from Elmira, NY is set for 7:00 PM.