UTICA, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team dropped another nail-biting contest on Friday night, falling 81-77 to Utica University. Despite a resilient effort and a high-octane transition game, the Golden Eagles (5-9, 1-4 E8) were hamstrung by a massive disparity at the charity stripe and a hot-shooting second half from the Pioneers.
How It Happened
Brockport's offense showed grit and improved rhythm throughout the night, maintaining a consistent 40.0% shooting clip in each half—a notable step up from Tuesday's outing. The Green and Gold were also much more efficient from the line, shooting 69.2% compared to the 56.3% mark set earlier in the week.
The Golden Eagles dictated the pace for much of the night, utilizing a relentless defense to outclass Utica in transition. Brockport finished with 10 more fast-break points and 10 more points off turnovers than the Pioneers. However, the whistle proved to be a hurdle the Green and Gold couldn't quite overcome. Brockport was whistled for 19 personal fouls to Utica's 14, but the real story was the opportunity gap; Utica earned 31 free-throw attempts over the course of the night, while Brockport was limited to just 13.
The discrepancy was most felt in the second half. Despite Brockport's aggressiveness leading to 19 more field goal attempts than Utica in the final frame, the Pioneers were awarded 17 free throws to Brockport's four. That 11-point production from the stripe allowed Utica to withstand the Golden Eagles' late-game surge. While both teams traded blows from deep in the first half with three triples apiece, the Pioneers found a rhythm to shoot 55.56% from downtown in the second, while the Green and Gold battled to a 27.78% (5-of-18) finish from beyond the arc on the night.
Individual Standouts
Jacob Oka continued to be a force on both ends of the floor. His ability to finish through heavy contact and anchor the interior was on full display as he racked up a team-high 20 points. Oka shot 7-of-16 from the field and was aggressive in drawing contact, finishing 6-of-8 from the charity stripe. He added five rebounds, a block, and a season-high three assists to his line.
Omar White turned in a monster defensive performance, cementing his status as the heartbeat of the Brockport defense. White recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 points and a season-high 11 rebounds (including seven on the offensive glass). He flirted with a triple-double by becoming an absolute terror in the passing lanes, snatching seven steals. With that performance, White moves into a tie for the team lead in both total steals and steals per game. He also facilitated the offense with a team-high four assists.
Camron Dyer provided a lethal scoring punch, tallying 16 points while knocking down 3-of-6 from beyond the arc. Dyer was active across the stat sheet, securing seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Christian Amica provided a spark off the bench, contributing 13 points, three rebounds, and an assist to keep the Golden Eagles within striking distance down the stretch.
Up Next: The Golden Eagles will look to bounce back quickly as they remain in Utica for a highly anticipated "postseason rematch" against SUNY Poly. Tip-off is scheduled for Saturday, January 17th, at 4 p.m.
