The Utica College Pioneers scored the first nine points and led the whole way in a 69-65 non-conference win against the Hamilton College Continentals at Utica's Clark Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.

Hamilton's win streak ended at three games and the Continentals dropped back to .500 at 4-4. Hamilton hosts Purchase College for another non-conference contest on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 2 p.m.

The Pioneers, who are members of the Empire 8 Conference, improved to 5-1. Utica was 9 of 16 from 3-point range while the Continentals were 5 of 29.

Hamilton owned a 45-33 advantage on the glass and grabbed 20 offensive rebounds. The Continentals attempted 33 more shots than the Pioneers but Hamilton shot 35.4 percent from the floor.

Teja Singh '25 paced the Continentals with 15 points and four assists. Elliott Tirbaso '22 dropped in 10 points and Hank Morgan '25 chipped in 10 points off the bench. Nick Osarenren '22 pulled down a career-high 15 rebounds and came up with a career-best six steals.

Thomas Morreale led Utica with 23 points and was 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Kobe Lufkin contributed 15 points and eight boards, and Chris Green registered nine points and five steals.

The game was a tale of two halves. After the Pioneers took their 9-0 lead, Hamilton scored the next seven points. Utica responded with a 10-2 run for a 19-9 cushion. The Continentals didn't get closer than eight points the rest of the half and at one point trailed by 24 at 39-15 after Lufkin hit a 3-pointer with 5:52 left. The Pioneers took a 44-23 advantage into the break as they shot 63 percent during the opening 20 minutes. Conversely, Hamilton shot 25 percent from the field in the first half.

The Continentals turned things around in the second half, thanks in part to Utica shooting just 26.3 percent from the floor. The Pioneers still led by 19 at 57-38 with 9:34 remaining but Hamilton went on a 15-2 run and closed to within six points at 59-53 with 4:05 to go. Morgan scored six points during the spurt. The Continentals cut their deficit to four points three times in the final 45 seconds but they never got it down to a one-possession game. Utica went 4-for-6 at the free-throw line in the last minute.