UTICA, NY (12/4/2013) – Junior point guard Aaron Nevins (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) netted a career-high 32 points as the Utica College men's basketball team topped visiting SUNY Canton 103-86 in its home opener on the hardwood at the Clark Athletic Center on Wednesday evening.  Junior forward Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) finished the day with 23 points (six points shy of his career-high) as the Pioneers improved to 3-3 overall and scored over 100 points in regulation for the first time since November 17, 2006. 

Senior forward Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) tallied a double-double for the fifth time in six games as he scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Jeffers now averages 15.5 points and 12.7 rebounds per game this year. 

The Pioneers shot 61.9% from the floor on the afternoon (39-of-63) and they led for the majority of the contest (33:04, 82.7% of the game).  The game featured six lead changes, with the visitors last lead of the game, 29-28, coming with 5:37 left in the first half.  Utica responded after trailing by one, 29-28, with a 15-2 run in a span of the next 5:08 of the game to take a commanding 43-31 lead with 1:37 left in the first half.  The run was sparked by five points from sophomore Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet) and four points each from Nevins and Jeffers. Utica held Canton to 1-of-8 shooting in the pivotal first half run. 

Canton did respond with a 9-6 run to close out the first half and the score was set at 49-40, in favor of the Pioneers, as the halftime horn sounded. 

SUNY Canton (0-5 overall) scored 32 points off of the Pioneers' 21 turnovers and the Roos were also excellent from the charity stripe, shooting 20-of-21 on the day.  The UC defense held Canton to just 39% (30-of-77) shooting from the floor on the afternoon. 

Canton used a 15-8 run over the course of 3:05 early in the second half to cut Utica's lead to four points, 59-55, with 16:32 to go in regulation.  The Kangaroo run was guided by eight points from Khalid Vaughn.  Vaughn finished the day with 12 points.  Sam Annorth led Canton with 26 points on a perfect 14-for-14 effort from the free throw line.  Scott Dixon also chipped in with 15 points off the bench for the visitors.

The Pioneers managed a 26-14 run in the next 7:34 of play to take an 85-69 lead with 8:58 to go in the contest.  The UC push was led by Nevins' 11 points, as UC shot 11-for-13 from the floor in the span.  Utica then used another spurt, outscoring the visitors 10-4 in a stretch of 1:37 to take a 20 point lead, 95-75, with 7:03 remaining. 

Canton was able to answer with an 11-5 run late in the second half, cutting their deficit to 14 points with 3:15 to go, but it proved to be too late as the Pioneers came away with the 17 point victory. 

UC big man Marty Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) registered his second double-double in three games as he capped the night with 11 points and 14 boards.  Freshman guard Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) tallied nine points on the night, while Tutein rounded out the evening with eight points.

Nevins also chipped in with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals for the Pioneers. Marty Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) added four assists and three blocks. 

The Pioneers return to the hardwood for game two of a three game home stand on Monday when they square off against Union College at the Clark Athletic Center (6 p.m.).