UTICA, NY - The Utica University men's basketball team is set to return home for a weekend homestand. On Friday, February 6, the Pioneers will welcome the Alfred University Saxons to Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center with a tip off slated for 7:30pm. On Saturday, February 7, the Pioneers will honor their seniors by hosting the Houghton University Highlanders, with a tip off set for 4pm from Miga Court. 
 
Follow Along: For those unable to attend, live video for both weekend matchups can be found here, and live stats here. For Friday's matchup, pregame coverage will be provided, courtesy of UticaTV. 
 
Last Time Out: The team took down the St. John Fisher Cardinals in overtime fashion, defeating the hosts by a score of 80-73 on Saturday evening. Four Pioneers finished in double scoring figures, led by Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy) with 22 points on the evening (6-11 FG, 2-4 3pt, 8-12 FT), followed by Jordan Cain (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee) with 14 (4-8 FG, 1-4 3pt, 5-6 FT), and both Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland) (4-6 FG, 5-8 FT) and Keyaton Parks (Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter) (5-9 FG, 3-6 FT), who each chipped in 13. Both Teague and Parks led the rebounding efforts for the Pioneers, each hauling in 11 rebounds, followed by Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) with four. Defensively, Thompson led the way with a team high five steals while Cain managed to swipe three, and Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston) a pair. Parks and Wittman each tallied a pair of blocks, while Teague added one of his own.
 
Senior Saturday: Prior to Saturday's matchup against Houghton, the team would like to honor its group of nine seniors who are competing in their final season with the team. Dayion Thompson (Beacon, NY/Kimball Union Academy), Ryan McCardle (Hurley, NY/Kingston), Jayden Larregue (Briarcliff, NY/Briarcliff), Ben Wittman (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Liam Teague (Guilderland, NY/Guilderland), Iggy Izevbuwa (Staten Island, NY/Port Richmond High School), Phoenix Weydig (Kenwood, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill), Griffin Barasa (Clearwater, FL/Calvary Christian), and Levi Spina (Frankfort, NY/Frankfort Schuyler) will all be honored pregame. 
 
Player of the Week: Keyaton Parks (Albany, NY/Green Tech High Charter) has been named one of this week's Empire 8 Players of the Week, as announced by the league on Monday. Parks delivered a dominant week for Utica, averaging 17.0 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting an outstanding 75.0 percent from the floor across three Empire 8 contests. The junior forward opened the week with 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting, adding seven rebounds and five blocks in an 84–79 win over SUNY Poly, anchoring Utica on both ends of the floor. He followed that performance with another 19-point, 10-rebound effort against Nazareth, finishing 8-of-10 from the field while controlling the paint in a tightly contested road game. Parks capped the week by posting 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in Utica's overtime victory over St. John Fisher, including several key defensive stops and rebounds late in regulation and overtime. Over the three games, Parks totaled 51 points, 28 rebounds, and eight blocks, providing a steady interior presence that helped Utica to a 2–1 week against conference opponents.
 
A Look At Alfred: Alfred enters the matchup at 3–17 overall and 0–11 in Empire 8 play, but the Saxons remain competitive night-to-night, with seven conference losses coming by single digits or in overtime. They average 63.5 points per game led by Zion Baitey and Tyler Curran, who combine for 25.0 points per game and account for a significant share of the team's usage. Baitey (13.0 PPG) is a physical scorer, while Curran (12.0 PPG) is the primary perimeter threat, shooting 34.7 percent from three on high volume and serving as the team's main playmaker. In the frontcourt, Franlys Valenzuela provides a consistent interior presence, averaging 11.2 rebounds per game, one of the top marks in the conference. Alfred is a strong rebounding team (+3.7 margin) and looks to create second-chance opportunities, but struggles to convert those chances at the free-throw line, shooting just 61.0 percent as a team. The Saxons average 16.2 turnovers per game and rank near the bottom of the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.7). Utica has already squared off against the Saxons once this season, taking a 67-62 win over the Saxons earlier this season. In the prior meeting, Alfred controlled the opening half with hot perimeter shooting, building a commanding 39–16 halftime lead as Utica struggled to find early rhythm. The Pioneers flipped the game after the break, turning defensive pressure into transition points and steadily chipping away at the deficit. A late surge capped by fastbreak finishes and clutch free throws completed a dramatic 67–62 comeback victory.
 
Scouting Houghton: Houghton enters the matchup at 6–14 overall and 3–8 in Empire 8 play. Houghton averages 74.2 points per game, with an offense driven by Lou Bellamy, one of the most productive guards in the conference. Bellamy averages 19.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding while logging heavy minutes. He is shooting 36.2 percent from three and nearly 80 percent at the line. Tyson Clark (14.9 PPG) is the primary secondary scorer and a strong spot-up threat, shooting 38.7 percent from three and 84.9 percent from the free-throw line. As a team, the Highlanders shoot 45.9 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from beyond the arc. While Houghton can score, efficiency swings wildly due to turnovers. The Highlanders average 17.4 turnovers per game and rank near the bottom of the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (0.8). Turnovers have prevented Houghton from closing games late, despite shooting 73.9 percent at the free-throw line and averaging over 15 made free throws per game. Defensively, Houghton is -4.3 in rebounding margin, allowing 38.3 rebounds per game, and surrendering 80.8 points per contest. The Pioneers and the Highlanders have already squared off once this season, with the Pioneers taking a 65-59 win over Houghton at the beginning of conference play. In the prior meeting Utica weathered an early back-and-forth start before closing the first half with a decisive run, turning a tight contest into a 32–26 halftime advantage. The Pioneers stayed composed in the second half, leaning on paint scoring, defensive pressure, and timely free throws to keep Houghton at arm's length. Consistent execution on both ends secured a 65–59 road win.
 
Up Next: The Pioneers travel west to take on the SUNY Geneseo Knights on Friday, February 13. Tip off from Geneseo, NY is set for 7:30pm.