BROCKPORT, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team celebrated Senior Day in style on Saturday afternoon, extending their winning streak to six games with a definitive 76-65 victory over Utica University. The Golden Eagles (13-11, 9-6) utilized a historic opening run and a stifling defensive presence to secure the wire-to-wire win at Jim and John Vlogianitis Gym. Brockport is now officially locked into the Empire 8 Tournament, and is currently in the six spot with one regular season matchup remaining. 

Blazing Start and Stifling Defense

Brockport ignited the home crowd from the tip, opening the contest with a staggering 17-0 run. The Pioneers were held scoreless for the first five and a half minutes of play until a jumper at the 14:33 mark finally put them on the board. The Green and Gold continued the onslaught, pushing their advantage to a game-high 21 points (25-4) midway through the first period following a layup by Jacob Oka at the 11:11 mark.

A late first-half surge by Utica managed to cut the deficit to single digits, as the Pioneers utilized a 31.2% shooting effort from deep to go into the locker room trailing 40-32. However, Brockport's defensive discipline remained the story of the night. The Golden Eagles held Utica to under 40% shooting in both halves, including a lockdown 25.0% (8-32) performance in the second half. The Pioneers struggled to find any rhythm from the perimeter, finishing the game shooting just 26.5% (9-34) from beyond the arc.

Stars of the Night

Pharell Aybar was the engine of the Golden Eagle offense, finishing with a team-high 16 points on excellent 6-of-8 shooting. Aybar was lethal from deep, hitting both of his three-point attempts, and facilitated the offense with a game-high six assists.

Jacob Oka dominated the interior to secure a double-double on Senior Day. Oka anchored the paint with 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds while adding three steals and a block to frustrate the Utica frontcourt.

Camron Dyer provided another significant spark off the bench, tallying 14 points and eight rebounds. Dyer's defensive presence was felt late in the game, recording two blocks, including a key rejection in the final minute to prevent any hope of a Pioneer comeback.

Ajani Flemming remained a consistent threat, contributing 11 points and five rebounds. Flemming's perimeter shooting proved vital, as he connected on three triples, including a fast-break three-pointer at the 4:53 mark of the first half that helped maintain the Golden Eagle cushion.

Despite Utica's efforts to chip away at the lead. Brockport's defensive discipline and a team 44.6% shooting performance allowed them to maintain a double-digit cushion through the closing minutes. The Golden Eagles dominated the specialty stats, outscoring the Pioneers 34-12 in the paint and generating 24 points off 18 Utica turnovers.

Up Next: The Golden Eagles close out the regular season on the road against SUNY Geneseo on Tuesday, February 17th, at 7:30 p.m. before playoff action.