PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The St. John Fisher men's basketball fell 80-73 in overtime to Utica on Saturday afternoon inside Manning & Napier Varsity Gym for its fourth consecutive Empire 8 Conference loss. 

The Cardinals (10-10, 6-5 Empire 8) led for more than 30 minutes in regulation but saw their lead slowly evaporate in the second half. Utica (15-5, 8-3 Empire 8) outscored Fisher 9-2 in overtime to secure the victory. 

Sophomore guard Andrew Violante, who made some key baskets down the stretch to force overtime, led Fisher with 19 points while shooting 7-of-10 overall (3-of-4 from three) and making both of the foul shots he attempted. Freshman guard Mekhi Gidney shot 5-of-15 overall and 6-of-7 from the free throw line on his way to 17 points, and sophomore forward/center Maximus Michalski posted 16 points with a team-high eight rebounds. Junior guard Jonathan McCaffrey and senior guard Max Schneider each scored eight points. 

Dayion Thompson scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Pioneers, with 17 of those coming in the second half and overtime. Jordan Cain (14), Keyaton Parks (13) and Liam Teague (13) also scored in double figures for Utica. 

How It Happened

After the teams traded baskets in the first four minutes, the Cardinals went on an 11-2 run over 6:30 to take a 17-8 lead. Violante led Fisher with five points in that stretch, while Gidney and McCaffrey added three points apiece. Those same three players each scored three points during a 9-2 run that swelled the Cardinals' lead to 10 points, 33-23, later in the quarter. 

Utica outscored Fisher 6-2 in the final 1:30 of the first half to close its deficit to six points, 35-29. Violante scored 10 of his 19 points in the first half while shooting 4-of-5 overall, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. Gidney and McCaffrey each had eight points in the first 20 minutes of play. 

The Cardinals extended their lead to a game-high 11 points twice in the first two minutes of the second half, but, unlike the first half, they were unable to go on an extended run. The Pioneers stayed within five to seven points for most of the quarter and went on a surge of their own late to take the lead. Behind four points from Thompson and Teague and three from Cain, Utica used an 11-3 push to take a 66-63 lead with just over three minutes remaining. 

Gidney sank a pair of foul shots with 2:28 left to tie the game at 66, but the Pioneers went back ahead 20 seconds later on a layup from Parks. Violante pulled Fisher even again on the ensuing possession, making a contested layup with 1:40 left. Utica, though, had another quick counter, taking a 70-68 lead on a layup from Thompson with 1:26 remaining. 

After two straight empty possessions for Fisher, Thomson had a chance to seal the game for the Pioneers at the free-throw line with 29 seconds left. However, he made just one of two shots to leave the door ajar for the Cardinals, who needed a 3-pointer on their final possession to force overtime. 

Violante delivered just that out of a timeout, drilling a triple for the right wing in the final five seconds to tie the game at 71. 

The Cardinals took the first lead in overtime as Violante made a layup to make it 73-71, but that basket would account for Fisher's last points in the contest. Fisher shot a paltry 1-of-9 overall and didn't attempt a free throw in the extra frame. 

Thompson scored six points, with four coming at the foul line, to help the Pioneers close out the victory. 

Game Notes

• Violante matched his season high with three 3-pointers made. 

• Michalski blocked five shots to match his career high. 

• Fisher finished with its second-highest 3-point shooting percentage (52.9%, 9-of-17) of the season. 

• Utica won despite making just 28 of its 45 shots from the free-throw line. 

Up Next

The Cardinals face SUNY Geneseo at 7 p.m. next Friday, Feb. 6, at Manning & Napier Varsity Gym.