UTICA, NY – Fresh off a record-setting victory on Tuesday, the Houghton Highlanders were handed a disappointing, 80-56, loss by the Utica Pioneers on Friday night.
 
Evenly matched in nearly every statistical category, the glaring storyline of the game came down to putting the ball in the basket.  Utica hit nearly 60 percent of their shots (34-for-57), while the Highlanders knocked down just under 38 percent (20-for-53). 
 
The Pioneers claimed the lead early, and claimed the lead for good just over three minutes into the game.  Houghton kept things close until nearly the midway point in the first half, but a 6-0 run, followed shortly by a 9-2 run, put Utica up by 14 points.
 
At the break the Pioneers led by 12 and quickly lengthened their lead in the second half, leading by 20 just over three minutes in.  
 
The closest Houghton would come throughout the remainder of the game, was when Jajuan Preaster hit a jumper at the 14:26 mark to pull the Highlanders within 14 points.  From that point on, though, the Pioneers would only continue to pull away.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 56 | Utica – 80
Records: Houghton: 8-6 (3-2 Empire 8) | Utica: 8-6 (2-3 Empire 8)
Venue: Clark Athletic Center Gymnasium, Utica University| Attendance: 374

NOTABLE STATS
>> Christian Sage was the only Houghton player to reach double-digits, scoring 13 points on 4-of-6 shooting.
 
>> Lou Bellamy scored nine points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out a team-best four assists, while Preaster scored eight points and nabbed three steals.  Preaster now has 1,279 career points and ranks eighth on the all-time scoring list.  He trails seventh-place-holder Harold Spooner by 71 points.
 
>>  Damien Call led the Pioneers with 21 points, hitting 10-of-12 shots.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"That's why Utica has won three straight regular season Empire 8 titles. They lost some close games recently and came with a resilient fire defensively that kept us out of what we wanted to do.
 
"Their crowd is easily the loudest in the conference, which makes communication difficult. Obviously, when they're shooting well it feeds all of it.
 
"We need to respond better and didn't. Good bounce back opportunity for us tomorrow afternoon." – Head Coach Jeremy Bialek

UP NEXT
The Highlanders will stay in Utica, travelling to SUNY Poly tomorrow, when they will take on the Wildcats at 4:00 p.m.