Utica, NY -- 11 players made their way into the scoring column, but it was not enough as the Elmira College men's basketball team fell to Utica College, 78-59. David Borelli '15 was the high-man for EC, scoring 11 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 22 minutes off the bench.
 
Also chipping-in with near double-figure performances were Hayden Harkins '18 and Matt Davis '16, who had nine points apiece. Harkins did his damage from the outside, hitting all three of his three-pointers, while Davis mixed in a bit of everything, knocking down his only three-point attempt as well as his four free throw attempts.
 
EC scored the opening basket and maintained the lead for the first six and a half minutes of the game. But Utica took the lead, at 11-10, with 13:53 to play in the first half and never looked back. After falling behind by five points just a few minutes later, Elmira made it a two-point game on one of Harkins' three three-pointers. The Purple and Gold could not get closer, however, as the Pioneers used a 15-2 run to break-open a 32-17 advantage. EC cut into the deficit a bit over the final five-plus minutes of the first half, but they would head into the locker rooms trailing by 10, 38-28.
 
Elmira continued their run into the beginning of the second half and made it a 40-33 game within the first two minutes of the half. But Utica halted EC's momentum and never let the Soaring Eagles get closer than seven points for the remainder of the game. It was an eight-point game, 64-56, with just over five minutes to play, but Utica closed on a 14-3 run to secure the victory.
 
The Soaring Eagles return home to take on the Red Dragons of SUNY Cortland tomorrow, January 24th at 6:00 p.m. in Speidel Gymnasium.