Box ScoreSCHENECTADY, N.Y. Senior guard John Cagianello (Wethersfield, CT/Loomis Chaffee) scored 24 points to lead Union to an 82-71 men's basketball victory over Utica College in Union's home opener at the Viniar Athletic Center Wednesday night.
Union improved to 2-0 on the young season while Utica lost for the first time in four games.
Senior guard Brian Scordato (Mt. Kisco, NY/Horace Greeley) scored 12 points and pulled down a game-high eight rebounds, while sophomore center Kyle Grimm (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) added 11 points. Cagianello made all seven of his free throw attempts, and added a game-high five assists with two steals. He has scored 54 points in the two games this season.
Junior guard Ray Bryant (Utica/Manhatten Center) led the Pioneers with 16 points and made six of his seven attempts from the charity stripe. Senior guard Justin Cichon (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) had 14 poitns and four assists and senior forward Willie Lucas (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth) added 11 with four assists for Utica.
Union shot 56% for the game, including 68% (15-22) in the second half. The Dutchmen also made 13 of 16 free throws (81%) and had a 29-19 rebounding edge. Utica shot 53% for the night, including 60% in the second stanza.
Utica jumped out to an 8-2 lead at 15:35, but the Dutchmen went on a 25-10 run in 8:16 for a 27-18 lead, and led by 10 at halftime, 36-26. The Pioneers pulled to within two, trailing 44-42 with 13:00 left in the second half, but the Dutchmen went on a 17-8 run for an 11 point lead (61-50) with 8:19 left. Cagianello had 10 points in that run. The Dutchmen led by as many as 15 as late as 3:05 to play (76-61).
Union is on the road Saturday at Middlebury for a 3 p.m. start, and after a game at Williams on December 6, returns home on Saturday, December 10 to host Carnegie Mellon at 7 p.m.
