HOUGHTON, NY— After pulling away late in the second half, the Utica Pioneers fended off a last-minute Houghton rally to defeat the Highlanders, 80-73, on Friday night.
 
The two teams traded leads throughout a tight first half, with neither able to maintain a sizeable lead.  After a pair of Darren Clark free throws tied the game with 38 seconds remaining before the half, Kobe Lufkin sank a layup in the final seconds to put the Pioneers up by two.
 
The second half brought more of the same, as Utica pulled ahead several times only to have Houghton battle back to knot it up again.  With seven minutes to go, Jordan Holmes found Billy McCrae in the lane to tie the game, 61-61, but the Pioneers answered with back-to-back three-point plays to take a six-point lead. 
 
Over the next five minutes Utica stretched the lead to 12 points before Holmes hit a three and Isander Ramos-Net drove the length of the court to sink a layup and bring Houghton back within seven. 
 
Following a pair of Pioneer free throws, Ramos-Net drilled a three-pointer to pull Houghton within six with 35 seconds left on the clock.  That, however, would be as close as the Highlanders would come, as the Pioneers sank one final free throw to close the game.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 73 | Utica – 80
Records: Houghton: 3-13 (1-4 Empire 8) | Utica: 13-4 (4-2 Empire 8)
Venue: The Nielsen Center, Houghton College | Attendance: 218

NOTABLE STATS
>> Houghton committed six fewer turnovers than the Pioneers (11-to-17), but Utica gave the ball away only three times in the second half and outscored the Highlanders on second-chance points, 19-to-8.
 
>> Ramos-Net collected 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists.  He has scored 20 points or more in four games this season, including each of the last two. 
 
>> Darren Clark turned in perhaps his best game of the season, notching a season-high 19 points while adding six rebounds and six steals for the Highlanders.
 
>> Thomas Maureale led all scorers with 25 points, and added eight rebounds for the Pioneers.
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to the Nielsen Center tomorrow afternoon for a matchup with the Sage College Gators at 2:00 p.m.