UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team fell to crosstown rival SUNY Poly on Tuesday evening by a score of 69-63
 
Three Pioneers eclipsed double digit scoring figures, led by Keyaton Parks (Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter) with 16 points (8-11 FG), Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) followed with 13 pts (6-13 FG, 1-5 FT), and Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) chipped in 10 pts (2-8 FG, 6-6 FT). Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) led the team in rebounds totaling seven, followed by Teague with six, Parks and Thompson both collected five each. Defensively, Teague and Parks took control, each posting three blocks, along with Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) who tallied two steals on the night. 
 
Utica came out firing in the opening half, using early pressure defense and efficient paint touches to grab control against the Wildcats. Parks and Cain cashed in on back to back drives, followed by Zyon Lord (Bronx, NY/Salisbury School) at the line. SUNY Poly kept up, but the Pioneers responded with a stretch sparked by Thompson and Teague, as Thompson knocked down free throws and Teague buried multiple jumpers to give Utica more separation. Parks then went to work, finishing through contact on back to back possessions and helping push the lead toward double digits as Utica repeatedly turned defensive rebounds into points. Midway through the half, Utica's defense fueled its best run of the period. Cain had a steal that fed Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) for a fast break three. Teague followed by finishing a layup to stretch the lead back into double digits. Poly briefly answered with a pair of scores in the paint, but the Pioneers had another answer. McCardle, and Parks continued to work the paint, stretching the Wildcat deficit to 11 with under five minutes remaining. Parks and Cain both netted layups, and Parks capped the half's scoring with a powerful dunk in the closing seconds to send Utica into the locker room with a comfortable eight–point halftime lead, 42-34.
 
Utica opened the second half by immediately re-establishing its presence inside, as Parks tipped in a miss on the first possession and then finished a layup on the next trip to push the Pioneers lead back to double digits. Thompson followed with a trip to the foul line, pushing the lead to 13. The Wildcats slowly climbed back, eventually cutting the deficit to one in just over six minutes left. McCardle nailed another three, but the Wildcats responded with back to back points tying it at 55 with under nine minutes to play. The Pioneers continued to fight, Thompson netted a layup and one and Isaiah Smith (Amsterdam, NY/Schalmont) made two at the line, tying the score again at 60. The free throw line became the way to win. After Utica briefly tied and hovered within a basket, Poly responded with two back to back jumpers, and points at the line. Cain managed to make a layup, but the Wildcats put the Pioneers on ice at the line, taking home the victory 69-63. 
 
Utica (17-8, 10-6 Empire 8) has clinched a berth into the 2026 Empire 8 Men's Basketball Tournament. The sixth-seeded Pioneers will travel to take on the third-seeded SUNY Geneseo Knights in a quarterfinal matchup on Saturday, February 21. Tip off from Geneseo, NY is slated for 4 pm.