UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 campaign with a loss to SUNY New Paltz at home on Thursday evening, by a score of 86-73.
Prince Kamate (Bronx, NY/New Visions Charter) led the Pioneers offensively in his Utica debut, finishing with a team-high 22 points on 7-for-16 shooting while adding six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Keyaton Parks (Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter) recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds, along with three blocked shots.
Seiray Sinerna (Bronx, NY/Validus Preparatory Academy) also made an impact in his first outing as a Pioneer, contributing 14 points, five rebounds and two steals. Freshman
Jaylen Johnson (Elmsford, NY/Brunswick) rounded out Utica's double-digit scorers with 10 points and seven rebounds, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc. The Pioneers finished the contest shooting 41.2 percent from the field while holding a 48-28 advantage in points in the paint. Utica connected on 18 of its 33 field goal attempts in the opening half but struggled to maintain that efficiency after the break, shooting just 28.6 percent over the final 20 minutes.
The opening half featured a back-and-forth battle, with neither side able to establish much separation. After New Paltz jumped out to an early 5-2 advantage, consecutive free throws from Kamate and a layup from Sinerna helped Utica take an 8-5 lead. The Hawks responded with a stretch of perimeter shooting to regain control, but the Pioneers continued to answer. Kamate provided a spark midway through the half, converting a pair of three-point plays before knocking down a three-pointer to give Utica a 24-23 advantage with 9:28 remaining.
The two sides continued to exchange baskets over the following minutes, with New Paltz holding a narrow 35-32 lead approaching the five-minute mark. A layup from Sinerna and a jumper from Parks pushed the Pioneers back in front before
Josiah Salmon (Jamaica, NY/John Bowne) added a layup to extend the lead to three. Johnson followed with a three-pointer to make it 41-37 with 3:19 remaining. The Hawks fought back to tie the contest at 44, but Parks converted a pair of free throws before Kamate knocked down a jumper with 14 seconds remaining, sending Utica into the break with a 48-44 advantage.
Utica carried its momentum into the second half as Sinerna opened the scoring with a layup to extend the lead to six. After New Paltz cut the deficit to two, Johnson connected from beyond the arc to put the Pioneers ahead 54-49 with 18:04 remaining. However, the Hawks responded with an 11-0 run over the next several minutes, taking a 60-54 advantage at the 14:50 mark.
The Pioneers continued to battle, with Johnson hitting another three-pointer to bring Utica within four at 62-58. Kamate followed with a pair of layups over the next several minutes to keep the Pioneers within striking distance, but New Paltz continued to find answers on the offensive end. A putback from Parks brought Utica within five at 69-64 with 9:16 remaining, but the Hawks countered with seven unanswered points to establish a 76-64 lead.
Utica looked to cut into the deficit down the stretch, with Parks throwing down a dunk and adding another layup to bring the Pioneers within 10. However, New Paltz maintained its double-digit advantage throughout the closing minutes, ultimately securing the 86-73 victory.
The Pioneers return to action on Tuesday, November 17 as the team takes on SUNY Morrisville. Tip off from Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center is set for 6pm.Â
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