BALANCED SCORING AND HUGE SECOND HALF LEADS UTICA TO THIRD STRAIGHT WIN
Jeff Ward nets a game high 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Pioneers.
Balanced Scoring and Huge Second Half Leads Utica to Third Straight Win
Utica 75, Oneonta 65 - Box Score
Oneonta, N.Y. (11/28/2011) – All five Utica starter’s scored in double-digits and the Pioneers put together a huge 56-point second half effort on their way to a 74-65 win over host Oneonta State Monday night. Junior big man Jeff Ward led the Pioneers with 16 points and 11 boards, while Alex Meyer and Matt Baldwin each added 12 points of their own.
The Pioneers (3-1) have now won three in a row headed into Thursday night’s showdown with local rival Hamilton College – which will be televised on Time Warner Cable Sports. The contest will be a part of “Jim Spartano Night” where the Pioneers’ honor retiring Director of Athletics Jim Spartano for 38 years of service to Utica College.
Trailing 43-40 at the 13:48 mark of the second half, the Pioneers put together an 18-6 run over the next nine minutes to seize control of the contest. A George Schultz jumper gave the Pioneers the lead for good at 48-47. Schultz finished the game with nine points.
The Red Dragons were in command at the break, leading 32-18. Neither team shot particularly well during the opening half, but Oneonta made four, three-point baskets including three from Oneonta’s Frankie Kelly.
Utica’s Aaron Nevins and Reggie German each totaled ten points for UC, while sophomore Chris Jeffers came off the bench and recorded ten rebounds.
BIG SECOND HALF LEADS UC TO TOURNAMENT TROPHY
Utica 74, Hilbert 61 – Box Score
Hamburg, NY – Utica College (2-1) shot 45 percent from the field as it pulled away from Hilbert College for a 74-61 victory in the championship game of the 2nd annual Hilbert College Tip-Off Tournament Saturday night.
Junior transfer Matt Baldwin followed up yesterday’s 28-point effort with a 22 point, four assist performance on his way to earning the tournament’s Most Valuable Player honors. He shot 8-for-16 from the floor and 2-for-4 from the charity stripe on the afternoon.
Playing big inside for the blue and orange, Jeff Ward was 6-for-9 (13 points) and was the game-leader in rebounds with nine (5 on the offensive end).
Hilbert’s Chris Hoak went 4-for-6 from long distance and led the Hawks with 18 points. Barry Mason also hit double digits, finishing with 14, shooting an impressive 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the foul line.
Heading into half time down by one, Hilbert regained their composure and built their largest second-half lead of six points at 14:23 off a Jordan VanDunk made free throw.
Utica closed the gap and tied the game 43-43 with 12:34 to go. Both teams traded baskets the next few possessions until a Baldwin lay-in capped Utica’s 11 point surge at 7:44. Hilbert put the visitors at the line and challenged them to win it with freebies. Utica completed 6-of-8 attempts to capture the championship.
Freshman Walkery Mills had another big night for UC, netting 13 points while pulling down five rebounds. Senior Reggie German tacked on nine points, while freshman point guard Aaron Nevins chipped in with eight of his own.
The All-Tournament Team for the two-day affair was from Utica, Matt Baldwin and Jeff Ward; Hilbert’s Chris Hoak; Clarkson’s Felix Lianos and Keuka’s Coty Paige.
The Pioneers have now won two in a row and will take a nine day Thanksgiving breather before hosting SUNYIT for a cross-town battle on Nov. 28th at 7 p.m.
