Hamilton College's Peter Hoffmann '19 scored a game-high 23 points and the Continentals posted a 99-74 non-conference win against the Utica College Pioneers at Utica's Clark Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.

Hamilton (8-2 overall) will take a four-game win streak into its first NESCAC game of the season on Friday, Jan. 6 against Connecticut College. The Continentals, who lead the conference with 87 points per game, nearly reached the 100-point mark for the third time in 2016-17.

Hoffmann did all his damage in 24 minutes. He was 10 of 14 from the field and made the only 3-pointer he attempted. Hoffmann is fifth in the conference with 17.6 points per game and is second in field goal percentage at 61.1 percent.

Michael Grassey '19 chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds for Hamilton. Grassey, who drained three 3-pointers, leads the team with 22 and is sixth in the NESCAC in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and seventh in scoring (15.8 ppg).

Kena Gilmour '20 recorded 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Continentals. Joe Pucci '18 dropped in 10 points and Andrew Groll '19 added nine and seven boards. Jack Dwyer '18 handed out eight assists and is third in the conference with 6.1 per game.

Hamilton shot 50.7 percent from the floor and held a 21-7 advantage in points off turnovers. The Continentals led by just four at the half but outscored Utica 54-33 in the final 20 minutes.

Hunter Remley nailed four 3-pointers and paced the Pioneers (0-9) with 17 points. Ivan Iton contributed 16 points and nine rebounds, and Bennito Ayarza boasted 12 points, five assists and four steals. Utica shot just 35.8 percent from the field. 

Hamilton scored the first four points and jumped out to a 19-10 lead after Tim Doyle '19 made two free throws with 13:18 left in the half. The Pioneers came back and tied the score at 26-26 on a pair of free throws by Ayarza, then took the lead on two more free throws by Ayarza with 7:10 remaining.

Doyle put the Continentals back in front at 29-28 with a 3-pointer but Utica responded with six straight points on layups by Carl Taylor, Ayarza and Iton, and the Pioneers had their largest lead of five points at 34-29. Another basket in the paint by Taylor gave Utica its last five-point cushion at 38-33 with 4:05 to go. It took the Pioneers more than five minutes to make another field goal.

Hamilton went on a 14-3 run and took the lead for good during Utica's cold streak. Gilmour scored six points during the spurt including the bucket that put the Continentals up 42-41 with a minute left. A 3-point play by Kyle Pitman '17 gave Hamilton a 45-41 advantage at the break.

A layup by Hoffmann capped the Continentals' run 41 seconds into the second half. After an Iton layup drew the Pioneers within four points at 47-43, Utica went almost another five minutes without a basket. Hamilton took advantage by putting the game away with a 15-0 run. Groll started the spurt with a layup and Wes Wilbur '17 ended it with a basket in the paint for a 62-43 cushion with 14:31 remaining. The Continentals led by double digits the rest of the way. Hamilton was 21 of 33 from the floor in the second half.