Box Score
UTICA, NY -- The Utica College men's basketball team edged out visiting Union College 66-65 Tuesday night in a non conference game that featured 10 lead changes and eight ties. Senior forward Patrick Goodman (Marcy, N.Y.) scored the eventual game-winning bucket after collecting a missed lay-up on a breakaway and putting it right back up for two points with 53 seconds left on the clock. Goodman finished the day with a game-high 23 points and nine rebounds. Union had two possessions in the final 45 seconds, but turned the ball over and missed a 3-pointer as the clock expired, and the Pioneers earned a one point victory.
Utica snapped a three game slide and improved to 5-4 overall, while the Dutchmen have now lost three in a row and dropped to 3-5 headed into the semester break.
Three players scored in double figures for Union including Joey Lokitis and Drew Goldstein , who tallied 18 and 16 points, respectively. Junior Matt Covucci added 12 points, six rebounds and five assists for the Dutchmen.
Junior guard James Patterson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) netted 16 points and dished out four assists for Utica, while classmate Robert Whyte (Pompton Plains, NJ) added a season-high 11 points off the bench. George Schultz (Ridgefield, N.J.) and Andrew Preston (Port Washington, N.Y.) each totaled seven points for the Pioneers.
Union opened the contest on a 12-2 run over the course of the first 3:59 of play to take a 12-2 lead right out of the gates. The Pioneers answered right back with a 13-0 run in the ensuing four minutes of play to take a three point lead, 15-12, with 12:01 remaining in the first half. The next three minutes were highlighted by four lead changes and one tie and the Pioneers held a two point lead, 21-19, after a Goodman layup with 9:09 to go in the half. Goodman's layup sparked an 11-0 run for the Pioneers and Utica held a 30-19 advantage with 5:49 left in the first half. Union did not hold back and cut the lead to four, 39-35, as the halftime buzzer sounded.
The Dutchmen opened the second half on a 13-5 run which resulted in a four point lead, 48-44, with 13:21 to go in the contest. The final eight minutes featured four ties and two lead changes until Goodman scored the game-winner with just under one minute to go in the contest.
Union returns to the hardwood on Jan. 4 at the Sig Makofski Invitational against Gordon College. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
