UTICA, N.Y. – The Elmira College Men's Basketball team finished its season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 92-66 decision to the Pioneers from Utica University on the road. The Soaring Eagles, who were led by Riley Spencer '26 with 21 points, would get off to a slow start, as Utica used a 12-0 run from the 17:52 to 13:58 mark in the first half to take a lead which it would not surrender for the remainder of the contest. 

Carter Seeberger '26 would also finish in double-figures, scoring ten points while Dylan Jacob '24 and Marc Anthony Artuz '24 finished with six and seven points, respectively, to wrap up their collegiate careers.

JUST THE BASICS:
SCORE: Elmira 66, Utica 92
LOCATION: Utica, New York | Clark Athletic Center
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (9-16, 5-11 Empire 8), Utica (22-3, 15-1 Empire 8)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• After JJ Babcock '26 scored the games' opening bucket from beyond the arc, the Pioneers would use a 12-0 run over the next four minutes of play to take a nine point lead nearing the midway point in the half. For Elmira, each of its four made baskets would come from long range over the first 10:09 of the contest, as Babcock, Seeberger, Artuz, and Spencer each converted. 
• The Soaring Eagles would trim its deficit to as little as three points in the opening frame, but Utica would ultimately hold a 12-point lead heading into the locker room following a layup from Babcock to end the first half. 
• In the period, the Soaring Eagles would shoot 12-of-33 (36.4%) from the floor, including a 4-of-13 effort from beyond the arc. For the Pioneers, they would go 16-of-32 from the floor, and just 2-of-8 from deep.
• Over the first three and a half minutes of the second half, the Pioneers would extend its lead to 21 points, and eventually as much as 29 for the game as they went on to outscore the Soaring Eagles 52-38 in the second half. The Soaring Eagles would shoot a nearly identical clip from the floor in the second half as they did in the first, while the Pioneers vastly improved from beyond the arc, going 10-of-16 in the second half. 
• For the contest, Elmira would control the turnover battle 21-15, its most turnovers forced this season, while also leading the points off turnovers battle 25-23. 
• A 14-7 advantage on the offensive glass for the Pioneers would eventually end with a 19-2 advantage for the home team in second chance points.