ONEONTA, N.Y. - The Hartwick Men's Basketball team returned to Lambros Arena, matching up with the Pioneers but ultimately fell to Utica.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Utica 87 Hartwick 69

• Location: Oneonta, N.Y.

• Records: Utica (14-7, 8-4 Empire 8) Hartwick (3-18, 3-9 Empire 8) 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The Hawks geared up for tip-off against the Utica Pioneers, looking to defend the home hardwood after a tight overtime thriller in their last matchup.

• Mike Gitz (Commack, N.Y.) got Hartwick started on a high note, drilling a deep three pointer and snagging a steal, leading to a Brian Bonin (Cicero, N.Y.) bucket to start the contest.

• Hartwick and Utica went head to head, matching each other's intensity as the first ten minutes contained six lead changes.

• After a thirty second timeout, the Pioneers knocked down back to back buckets but their run was quickly halted as Joey McLaurin (Mastic Beach, N.Y.) sank a running floater with contact, earning the and one at the halfway mark of the first.

• Cosmo Hardinson (Larchmont, N.Y.) connected on the deep trey with contact, earning him a chance at the four point play.

• Hardinson converted on his free throw, injecting the team with energy as the deficit shrunk to two points.

• Utica was able to create some breathing room once again but Malachi Polson (Bay Shore, N.Y.) forced a turnover and turned that into two points with the Hawks trailing by three.

• Isaiah Thomas (Manitou Springs, CO) knocked down a jumper from downtown and found himself the final bucket of the half, corralling the offensive board and converting the interior bucket.

• The Hawks opened the second half with a forced turnover, with Xymier Thomas (Binghamton, N.Y.)  tying the game at 35 with a fastbreak score.

• Utica found a bucket on the other end but Gitz poured in a transition triple to put the Hawks back ahead. The Pioneers answered back with a three but Mike Gitz was left with a little too much separation again, drilling the long range jumper.

• Hartwick began to fall behind as Utica shot from all over the court at a high clip, being ranked second in the Empire 8 in field goal percentage.

• The Hawks would continue to battle but the Pioneer offense did not slow down, leading to Hartwick falling in the end.

• Vincent Payne (Lansing, IL) caught fire in the final four minutes of the contest, pouring in nine points, drilling two three pointers.

• Four Hawks tied for the team lead in scoring as Gitz, Payne, Hardinson and Isaiah Thomas each posted nine points.

UP NEXT FOR THE HAWKS

The Hawks will head to SUNY Poly, tipping off against the Wildcats on Saturday February 8th at 4PM.

About Hartwick College:

Hartwick, often referred to as The Life Balance College, is a private liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, N.Y. Through its distinctive FlightPath approach, Hartwick blends academic excellence, career preparation and an active campus life to help students achieve a balanced and fulfilling college experience. With transparent tuition and a focus on health and wellness, Hartwick prepares students for lifelong success—both professionally and personally.