Box Score

Postgame Interview - Alex Lorenz

HOBOKEN, N.J. (January 3, 2014) – Head Men's Basketball Coach Bobby Hurley recorded the 100th win of his career as Stevens Institute of Technology earned an 81-67 win over Utica College in the Empire 8 opener for both schools Friday night in the Canavan Arena.
 
With the win, Stevens improves to 5-3 overall and 1-0 in the conference. Utica falls to 5-4 overall and 1-0 in the Empire 8.
 
The Ducks played well in the early going, jumping out to a 17-6 lead 5:35 into the game following a three-pointer from sophomore guard Evan Klimchak (Readington, N.J.). Over those first five-plus minutes, senior guard Matt Skrelja (Clark, N.J.), senior guard Andrew Meszaros (Phoenixville, Pa.) and junior forward Patrick Sabatino (Westfield, N.J.) all tallied at least three points.
 
The Pioneers responded, trimming the Stevens lead to five with six-straight points, but back-to-back put-backs from sophomore forward Alex Lorenz (Point Pleasant Borough, N.J.) gave Stevens a 12-point margin (26-14) midway through the opening period.
 
Another triple from Klimchak with 6:39 left in the first gave the hosts their largest lead of the period at 34-19, but a 20-10 spurt from the Pioneers sliced the Stevens lead to five points with 46 ticks on the clock. Meszaros closed the period for Stevens with a runner in the lane and the scoreboard showed Stevens 46, Utica 39 at the break.
 
Utica closed within two points 3:11 into half number two, but an 8-0 run over the next 3:21 of game time gave the Ducks a 10-point margin (54-44) that would never become less than eight points the rest of the way. Four players scored in the spurt for Stevens with Skrelja accounting for four of the 10 points.
 
A Skrelja three with 2:26 on the clock handed the Ducks their largest lead of the game to that point (16), and another marvelous tip-in from Lorenz at 1:08 made it an 81-64 contest and a 17-point edge.
 
Skrelja led the Ducks with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Klimchak finished with 13 points and two assists, while Meszaros had 11 points, nine boards and a pair of helpers. Lorenz was huge off the bench with 12 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Phillip DeSeignora (Boston, Mass.) also tallied 12 points. Sabatino finished with nine points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots in a solid all-around performance.
 
The Ducks finished with 16 assists and just 12 turnovers, shooting 47.8 percent from the field (32-for-67) and 10-for-19 from three. Stevens converted 7-of-9 at the stripe and ended with a big 41-29 edge on the glass. Stevens also poured in 17 second-chance points and received 29 points from its bench.
 
After winning 13 games in his first season, Coach Hurley won 18 games in year two and has won 20 or more games the last three seasons. He is the fourth coach in program history with 100 wins and first since John Lyon who coached the Ducks from 1962-82.
 
Utica shot 43.6 percent from the field, 48 percent from three and 46.7 percent from the line (7-for-15). The Pioneers attempted 12 fewer shots than Stevens and were led by freshman guard Marion Lewis with 12 points and five rebounds.
 
Stevens will return to the hardwood with a key Empire 8 contest against defending Empire 8 Champion Ithaca College Saturday. Tip-off from the Canavan Arena in Hoboken is slated for 3 p.m.