UTICA, NY (February 4, 2014) – The Utica College men's basketball team lost to visiting St. John Fisher College 92-69 in Empire 8 Conference action at the Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium Tuesday night.  Chris Jeffers (Albany, NY/Bishop Maginn) and freshman Agim Hamiti (Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science) each netted 13 points for the Pioneers, while Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) added ten points off the bench.

The Pioneers return to the hardwood next Tuesday when they travel to Empire 8 Conference provisional member Houghton College to take on the Highlanders at 6 p.m.

Fisher led from the first bucket of the contest and shot an impressive 63.8% from the floor (37-for-58) on the afternoon. Four different players scored in double figures for the Cardinals including reserve Charles McVay who registered 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the floor.  Sophomore Chaz Lott chipped in with 18 points for Fisher, while big man Keegan Ryan added 16 and Tyler Hart netted 12.  Lott was one assist and four steals shy of a triple double as he finished the evening with nine assists, six steals and 18 points.  Ryan posted a double-double as he hauled in 15 rebounds to go with his 16 points. 

The Cardinals opened the contest on an 18-8 run in the first 6:44 behind six points from Tyler Hart.  The Pioneers answered right away with a 9-2 run in a span of 2:08 to cut its deficit to just three points, 20-17, with 11:08 to go in the first half of play. UC's Marion Lewis (Bronx, NY/Lehman) netted all nine of the Pioneers' points in the run.

Fisher answered with a 20-6 run in the next 5:02 to take a commanding 40-23 advantage with 6:06 left in the first half of play.  Fisher maintained its double-digit lead for the remainder of the first half and took a 50-28 lead into the locker room at the intermission.

The Cardinals did not slow in the second half as they opened on a 23-9 run to take a 73-39 lead with 11:36 left in regulation. Lott and Ryan each registered six points apiece for the Cardinals in the stretch.  Hamiti and the Pioneers made one last push, outscoring the visitors 16-3 in a span of 4:48 to cut their deficit to 21 points, 76-55 with 6:48 remaining, but that was as close as they would get.

Mark Felicia (Phoenix, NY/Phoenix) came off the bench and added nine points and four rebounds for the Pioneers.  Kendall Brown (Queens, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) also chipped in with nine points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor for Utica.  

The Pioneers have lost 11 of their last 12 and their record moved to 6-14 overall and 1-10 in conference play.  Fisher snapped a four game losing streak and improved to 12-9 overall and 6-5 in the conference.