ELMIRA, NY – With one second remaining on the game clock Utica College's Mike Cannizzo (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) hurled an overhand pass across center court to senior Robert Tutein (Nanuet, NY/Nanuet), who collected the pass and converted on an acrobatic 3-pointer with a defender in his face to lift UC to a 75-74 buzzer beater victory over host Elmira College in Empire 8 Conference action on Friday night.  A replay of the incredible game-winner aired nationally on ESPN as a trio of great basketball buzzer beaters and aired again on the highly popular Sports Center Top Ten segments on the 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. shows Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Tutein, who scored the Pioneers' final six points in the last 1:04 of the contest, finished the night with 14 points, while sophomore Ivan Iton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) added a team-best 16 points and six rebounds. 

The Pioneers improved to 6-13 overall on the year and 3-8 in the Empire 8, while Elmira's record fell to 4-16 and 2-9 in conference play. 

The second half saw six ties and five lead changes including Tutein's incredible buzzer beater which decided the contest. The Pioneers held a seven point lead, 55-48, with 12:19 left in the contest after Iton converted a lay-in to propel Utica to its largest lead of the second half. Elmira answered again with a 24-9 run to take an eight point lead, 72-64, with 2:33 remaining in regulation. With 1:04 left in the contest Tutein converted on a free throw to make the score 72-70 in favor of the Soaring Eagles. Tutein knotted the score at 72-72 with 18 seconds left after he converted on a jumper. 

Elmira then took a time out and set up a play where Porrett converted on a lay-up with one second remaining on the game clock to give the home team a 74-72 lead.  UC Head Coach Chris Connolly called a 30 second time out to set up one last play for the Pioneers. After the time out, Cannizzo ran the base line and connected with Tutein on a ¾ court pass – Tutein collected the pass and turned – then drained the off balance 3-pointer with an Elmira defender in his face to give the Pioneers the one point victory.

Cannizzo finished the night with a career-high 10 points, while Carl Taylor (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) added a career-high 15 points as well. Justin Mayers (Hastings, NY/Hastings on the Hudson) added ten points off the bench for the Pioneers.

In the first half, Elmira jumped out to a five point lead, 12-7, in the first 5:03 of the contest after Justin Porrett poured in a 3-pointer to hand the Soaring Eagles the early advantage. The Pioneers answered with a 28-12 run in the next 12:20 of the contest, capped by a 3-pointer from Cannizzo, to hand Utica a commanding 11 point lead, 35-24, with 2:37 left in the first half of play. Elmira would not go down easy as they went on a 13-2 run to close out the first half with the score knotted at 37-37.

Utica returns to the hardwood on the road Saturday when the Pioneers travel to Houghton to take on the Highlanders in Empire 8 play at 2 p.m.