Utica 71, SUNYIT 70 - Box Score

Marcy, N.Y. (1/3/2011) - The Utica College men's basketball team used a 26-11 run in a span of less than ten minutes in the second half to erase a 15 point deficit on its way to a 71-70 victory over local rival SUNYIT Tuesday night at the Wildcat Gymnasium.  Junior forward Jeff Ward scored a game-high 24 points and added seven rebounds to help the Pioneers avenge an early season loss to the Wildcats. 

UC (4-6) snapped a five game losing streak, while SUNYIT's (1-8) lone win of the season came by way of a 102-98 victory over the Pioneers on Dec. 6. 

Utica led 18-17 with 9:21 left in the first half when the home team went on a 6-0 run in less than two minutes to take a five point lead with 7:36 to go before the half.  The Wildcats extended their lead to as many as nine, 36-27, with one minute to go but the Pioneers were able to respond with a 5-0 run in the final minute to cut SUNYIT's lead to five at the half. 

SUNYIT opened up the second half on a 19-9 run in the first 9:37 to take a commanding 15 point advantage after a made free-throw by Derek Rowe with 11:23 to go in regulation.  Rowe finished the day with nine points and seven rebounds for the home squad. 

Senior Marlon Davidson and junior Matt Baldwin combined for 17 points in a span of 8:42 to fuel the Pioneer comeback, and after Davidson converted a lay-up with 2:23 to go, the score was knotted at 66-66.  After a missed shot by SUNYIT on the next possession, UC's Reggie German connected on his only field goal of the evening, a 3-pointer, to give UC its first lead of the second half, 69-66, with 1:46 remaining.  Yhashin White connected a on a 3-pointer for SUNYIT with 38 second left to cut UC's lead to 71-70, but that was as close as the Wildcats would get.  Utica forced a five-second call on SUNYIT's final inbounds opportunity to seal the victory. 

Baldwin finished the day with 16 points on 4-of-9 shooting from behind the arc, while Davidson had another impressive performance off the bench, netting 12 points and adding five assists.  Sophomore forward Chris Jeffers collected a team-high nine rebounds for UC. 

T'Andre Richardson scored 17 points and registered a game-high 13 rebounds, while White finished with 17 points for the Wildcats. 

The Pioneers open up Empire 8 Conference play at home on Friday night when they host Nazareth College.  The contest is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m.

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