HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 13, 2008) – Junior guard Doug Herring (Newburgh, N.Y.) missed a potential game-winning jumper in the closing seconds of regulation as the 18th-ranked Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team held on for a 60-59 victory over visiting Utica College on Sunday afternoon at the Canavan Arena in Hoboken, N.J. Junior guard Michael Baker's free throw with 33.1 seconds remaining proved to be the difference as the Ducks improved to 12-1 overall and 7-1 in the Empire 8.
Trailing 49-39 with less than 12 minutes to play in the game, the Pioneers (7-6, 3-4 Empire 8) rattled off a 12-2 run over a four-minute stretch to knot the score at 51-all. Junior forward James McClendon (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and Herring combined for 10 points in the spurt. Herring tied the score with a jumper from the baseline with 7:20 remaining.
Over the course of the final seven minutes of the contest, the score was tied four additional times. With the Ducks leading 57-56 with just under two minutes to play, senior forward Tim Williams knocked down a pair of free throws to put Stevens in front 59-56.
Utica rallied to tie the game at 59-all with 1:15 to go following a lay-up by McClendon and a free throw by Herring. Moments later, freshman guard/forward Will Abrams (Somerset, N.J.) missed a three-pointer from the wing. Baker grabbed the rebound and was fouled in transition. He proceeded to make 1-of-2 free throws to stake Stevens to a slim 60-59 lead.
On Utica's final possession, Herring tried to create space off the dribble but was forced into a tough shot outside the lane with about three seconds left on the clock. Williams grabbed the rebound as time expired.
During the first half, Stevens used a pair of 10-2 runs to take a 35-24 advantage at the break. Leading 10-8 midway through the period, senior guard Waleed Farid (Woodside, N.Y.) got the Ducks going with a three-pointer. Junior guard Virgil Gray followed with a three-point play. Farid knocked down another shot from behind the arc as Stevens went on top 20-10 with 8:10 remaining.
Holding a seven-point advantage (20-13), the Ducks scored 10 of the next 12 points in the span of 2:31 to go on top 30-15 with 3:36 left in the period. Williams scored the first four points of the run. Farid added a three-pointer from the wing. Sophomore guard George Greco also drained a long three-pointer to help spark Stevens.
In the first half, the Ducks shot 57.9 percent (11-for-19) from the floor and 72.7 percent (5-for-7) from behind the arc. Farid scored 11 points in the period and knocked down all three of his attempts from downtown.
For the game, Stevens shot 44.7 percent (17-for-38) from the field. The Ducks made just 6-of-19 field-goal attempts (31.6 percent) in the second half though. Utica made 22-of-55 field goals (40 percent) overall. Stevens owned a 33-25 advantage on the glass. The Ducks were 21-of-30 (70 percent) at the foul line, while the Pioneers made 12-of-18 (66.7 percent) of their free throws.
Gray led Stevens with 17 points. He shot 9-for-12 from the foul line. Farid contributed 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. He was 4-for-6 from the field in the game. Williams finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, and five blocked shots. He made 6-of-9 field-goal attempts.
Harris paced Utica with 16 points to go along with five assists and four rebounds. Freshman guard/forward A.J. Trahms (Waterloo, N.Y.) totaled 11 points in the loss. McClendon added 10 points and five rebounds for the Pioneers, who out-scored the Ducks 35-25 in the second half.
Having played five games in the last 10 days, Stevens will be off until Friday when it travels to Rochester, N.Y. to take on St. John Fisher College at 8 p.m. The Ducks will also play at Alfred University on Saturday at 4 p.m.
