The Oswego State men’s basketball team lost its season opener 82-71 to Utica at Max Ziel Gymnasium on Tuesday night. Second half shooting proved to be the difference in the contest as the Pioneers shot 55.2 percent from the field on 16-of-29 shooting, while the Lakers went 14-of-39 for 35.9 percent. Utica forward Patrick Goodman led all players with 27 points and 14 rebounds. Oswego State was led offensively by Chad Burridge’s (So., Hannibal, N.Y.) 25 points.

The first half was a seesaw battle that featured seven ties as neither team held a lead greater than four points after the first minute of play. Kevin Johnson went coast-to-coast for a layup after grabbing a defensive rebound with 38 seconds left in the period to give the Pioneers a slim 37-35 lead at halftime.

The score continued to sway back-and-forth in the second half as the Lakers clung to a four-point lead at 58-54 after a Brenden Nollet (Fr., Hannibal, N.Y.) layup with 10:35 left to play. However, Oswego State struggled from the field after this point as it missed its next seven shots before Chad Burridge ended a 14-4 Utica run with a jumper from the charity stripe with 5:25 on the clock and the Pioneers leading 68-62.

Each team traded offensive possessions down the stretch as the Lakers were unable to cut into the Utica lead. Guard Conor Monaghan (So., Brooklyn, N.Y.) pulled Oswego State to within five points after a putback at 72-67 with 1:22 remaining, but the Pioneers hit their free throws in the end making 8-of-10 at the line to seal the 81-72 victory.

Burridge was joined in double figures by Ryan Sheridan (So., Blauvelt, N.Y.), who had 10 points and nine boards, and Hayden Ward (Fr., Montauk, N.Y.), who came off the bench to contribute 10 points and haul down 11 rebounds. James Patterson added 11 points and nine assists for Utica, while Will Abrams scored 15 points. The Lakers owned a 49-43 advantage on the glass, including 23 offensive rebounds, but finished the game 27-for-74 from the field and an ice-cold 3-for-24 from three-point land. The Pioneers finished the game at 48.4 percent (31-for-64) shooting, and 16-for-23 from the free throw line.

Oswego State, which is now 0-1, will host the Max Ziel Tournament starting on Friday, Nov. 20 with a contest against New Jersey City University at 8 p.m. Utica improved to 2-0 on the young season.

BOX SCORE:

Utica College vs Oswego State Lakers
11/17/09 7:00 p.m. at Oswego, N.Y.
At Oswego, N.Y.
UTICA COLLEGE 82, OSWEGO STATE LAKERS 71
UTICA COLLEGE (2-0)
Patrick Goodman 12-21 1-2 27; Will Abrams 5-12 4-4 15; James Patterson 4-12
3-9 11; George Schultz 3-5 2-2 9; Kevin Johnson 2-6 4-4 8; Robert Whyte 2-2
0-0 4; Jeff Ward 2-3 0-0 4; Andrew Preston 1-2 2-2 4; Goeffrey Brown 0-1 0-0
0. Totals 31-64 16-23 82.
OSWEGO STATE LAKERS (0-1)
BURRIDGE, Chad 9-15 7-9 25; SHERIDAN, Ryan 3-11 2-3 10; WARD, Hayden 5-9 0-1
10; FRANCOIS, Stanley 3-8 3-6 9; NOLLET, Brenden 3-5 0-1 6; URIBE, Jose 1-5
2-2 5; MONAGHAN, Conor 2-13 0-2 4; MICHELE, Sean 1-4 0-2 2; McSLOY, Mike 0-2
0-0 0; GILKES, Chris 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 27-74 14-26 71.
Utica College.................   37   45  -   82
Oswego State Lakers...........   35   36  -   71
3-point goals--Utica College 4-11 (Patrick Goodman 2-4; Will Abrams 1-4;
George Schultz 1-1; Kevin Johnson 0-2), Oswego State Lakers 3-24 (SHERIDAN,
Ryan 2-6; URIBE, Jose 1-5; MONAGHAN, Conor 0-6; MICHELE, Sean 0-2; WARD,
Hayden 0-2; BURRIDGE, Chad 0-3). Fouled out--Utica College-Andrew Preston,
Oswego State Lakers-None. Rebounds--Utica College 43 (Patrick Goodman 14),
Oswego State Lakers 49 (WARD, Hayden 11). Assists--Utica College 13 (James
Patterson 9), Oswego State Lakers 14 (MICHELE, Sean 5). Total fouls--Utica
College 19, Oswego State Lakers 20. Technical fouls--Utica College-None,
Oswego State Lakers-None. A-330

The Oswego High School Class of  2011 is prepared to begin its march toward June 25 graduation exercises at the SUNY Oswego Campus Center. However, the members of the Class of 2010 have made their mark and are moving to their next life step.

Oswego Middle School Principal Bonnie Finnerty has proudly announced the final honor roll for the 2009-2010 school year.

Nathaniel V. Ellis graduated from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Daleville, Ala., and was appointed to the rank of warrant officer one.

On January 15, 2010 Petty Officer Second Class William W. Tresidder reenlisted in the US Navy.