UTICA, N.Y. (December 10, 2010) – Sophomore guard Russ Thompson dished out a career-high 12 assists and junior guard Mike Cutri tallied a team-high 18 points to lead four Ducks in double figures as the Stevens Institute of Technology men's basketball team improved to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in the Empire 8 with a 73-69 win at Utica College in the conference opener for both teams Friday night at the Clark Athletics Center. Junior forward Simon Smith scored 17 points and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds in a big performance for the Ducks.
The Ducks (6-1) continued their strong shooting, going 30-for-56 from the floor (53.6 percent) and 10-for-14 from the charity stripe (71.4 percent). Cutri was 6-for-11 overall, and 3-of-7 from long range. He snatched six rebounds and handed out five assists to go along with one block and one steal. Smith had a block, two steals, and two assists to go with his 17 points and 11 boards, while sophomore guard Sheldon Jones put in 17 points, grabbed two rebounds, two assists, and tallied two thefts. Senior captain Bryan Franklin had 12 points and two rebounds in a solid effort for the Ducks. Thompson had 12 assists, six rebounds, and two points.
Stevens tallied 23 assists and just 10 turnovers, but was out-rebounded for the first time this season (38-37).
Utica shot 40.5 percent for the game (30-of-74) and 24.0 percent from three-point range (6-of-25). The Pioneers connected on just 3-of-9 from the foul line.
The Ducks jumped out to an early 7-0 lead thanks to three points from Jones and four from Cutri. After five-straight points from Utica, a pair of buckets from Jones pushed the lead back to six with 15:26 left in the opening half.
The Pioneers were able to chip away at the Duck lead and were able to go on top for the first time in the game after a layup from sophomore forward Alex Meyer (Salt Point, N.Y.) with under 10 minutes left in the opening stanza and eventually went into the locker room with a 36-33 edge.
After the two teams traded baskets early in the second half, Utica opened up its largest lead of the game (six points) when sophomore guard Kevin Johnson (Cambria Heights, N.Y.) connected from long range. A triple from Cutri pulled the Ducks back within three and Stevens tied the game at 49 with 13:21 left after a layup from Smith.
Four consecutive points from senior guard James Paterson (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) gave Utica a four-point cushion but a Smith three-point play made it a one-point game with 12:10 left. Utica scored two on its next possession to go back up three but another three from Cutri tied the game at 55-all with 10:39 remaining in the game.
Smith gave the Ducks their first lead since midway through the first half after a nifty pass from Thompson and after a Paterson three erased the lead, freshman forward Kevin McManamy hit a jumper of his own as the Ducks regained the lead at 61-60 with 7:43 to play.
Utica answered and was able to open up a 65-62 lead, but the resilient Ducks responded with a 7-0 run over a span of 1:41 to open up a four-point lead. The Pioneers cut the lead to one with 2:29 to play, but on the ensuing possession Thompson found Jones for a driving layup and a three point Stevens lead.
Following a time out with 14 ticks to go, Smith forced a turnover and the Ducks did what they had to at the line to secure their first Empire 8 win of the season.
Paterson ended with 22 points and eight assists to lead Utica, while Johnson poured in 20.
Stevens, winners of six straight games, has won all three of its road games and all three have been decided by less than five points. The Ducks will now break for finals and return to the hardwood on January 3 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
