UTICA, NY (November 15, 2013) – The Utica College men's basketball will move onto Saturday's championship game of the Hilbert College Tip-Off Tournament after defeating St. Lawrence 82-81 in an opening round match up on Friday night. UC's Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) led the way for the Pioneers 14 points and 12 rebounds, while point guard Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) added 17 points and seven assists. 

The contest featured 12 lead changes, including four in the second half -- and St. Lawrence tied the game on eight different occasions -- but the Pioneers were able to hang on for the victory.  St. Lawrence's last lead of the contest was 71-70 with 6:55 to go in regulation, but the Pioneers outscored the Saints 12-10 in the final 6:33 to earn the one point victory. 

UC led by two, 77-75, with 2:56 to go in the game until Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) converted on a three point play to extend the Pioneers lead to five points, 80-75, with 1:59 remaining. St. Lawrence's Brady Conlin hit a 3-pointer with nine seconds left in the game to cut UC's lead to one point, 82-81, and after the Pioneers missed the front end of a 1-and-1 free throw, the Saints got the ball back with a chance to win it with two ticks left on the clock.  The ensuing inbounds play was thrown away as the Pioneers escaped with the one point victory.

Four of the Pioneers' five starters scored in double-figures including Jeffers, Nevins, Conor Maisch (Kingston, NY/John A. Coleman) and Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman).  Maisch finished the day with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, while Lewis netted 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor and he also grabbed five boards.  Jeffers was 70% from the floor, going 7-for-10 on the afternoon.  He also chipped in with three steals and three assists. 

Junior Marty Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix), a 6-foot-8 forward, added six points on 3-of-3 shooting to round out the Pioneers starting five.  Griffin Kelly (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) also added six points off the bench, while Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) scored seven points in his debut with UC.  Pape Konteye (Harlem, NY/Trinity Pawling) also came off the bench and scored six points for the Pioneers. 

Utica shot 53.6% from the floor and held St. Lawrence to 40.3% shooting on the day.  Conlin led the Saints with 32 points (4-of-6 form 3-point range) and he also grabbed seven rebounds. Janpeter Brase and Kyle Edwards each added 12 points for SLU. 

The Pioneers will take on the winner of the Hilbert/Alfred State match up that immediately followed the UC opener. The championship game will take place at 3 p.m. UC won the Hilbert Tip-Off Tournament two years ago.