Purchase, NY –The Sage College's men's basketball team travelled to Manhattanville College on Friday night to compete in the AJ Buchanan Classic. The Gators posted a 68-65 win over NYU in the opening round of play and improve to 2-0 on the year. NYU drops to 1-2. Sage awaits their opponent, the winner of the second game tonight, a match-up between the host Valiants of Manhattanville College and Brooklyn College. Sage wll face the winner in the 4 p.m. championship on Saturday.

Junior guard Andre Robinson (Fort Pierce, FL/Fort Pierce Westwood) led the Gators with his 14 points, while junior guard Jorrdan McCray (Orlando, FL/Wekiva) and junior Travis Gill (Brooklyn, NY/Xaverian) each finished with 10 points in the action.

Senior tri-captain Kai Deans (Miami, FL/Monsignor Pace) added nine points with five rebounds before fouling out of the game. Dean shot 57.1% from the floor (4-7) for the Gators.

Senior center Jacob Sopchak (Rhinebeck, NY/Rhinebeck) connected for six points with five rebounds and a pair of blocked shots. He continues to edge ever closer to breaking the career block mark as he has 67. He is now just nine blocks away from tying the record currently owned by Ryan Sager (76, 2010-13).

Sage led 40-31 at the break and was able to preserve the win after NYU's Costis Gontikas sunk a pair of free throws at 0:50 and pulled the Bobcats within one points, 66-65. Gill missed a lay-up at 0:19 and was fouled on the rebound and went to the line with 0:12, sinking both of his shots as the Gators were in double bonus and gave Sage a 68-65 before time expired in the action. Gontikas finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for NYU.