UTICA, N.Y. – Russell Sage College Men's Basketball traveled to Utica on Saturday for a battle with the Pioneers, where they fell 70-61.
Senior guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls), who became the fifth RSC player to surpass 1,000 career points in the January 17 home win vs. Saint John Fisher, continued to climb the program career record book as his 14 points was enough to move him into third place on the RSC scoring list, passing Jalon Borders '22. Girard also registered a game-high four steals and grabbed two rebounds.
The Gators (13-9/6-7 E8), which got off to their best start to a season since 2014-15, were led offensively by guard Brandon Harris (Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton/Herkimer CC). The junior, who was announced as the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Week on Monday, scored 23 points, the fourth time in the past five games that he has surpassed twenty points. Harris added eight rebounds and two steals to his statsheet in the loss.
Sophomore forward Avery Oduro-Dompreh (Elkridge, MD/Oakland Mills), who began the week leading the E8 in blocks per-game and was ranked third in the Conference in rebounding, added a near double-double, scoring nine points and securing eight rebounds while blocking two Pioneer shots.
Utica(15-7/9-4 E8), now winners of four in-a-row, were led by Hagen Foley and Damien Call, who recorded 20 and 18 points respectively.
RSC plays next on Friday at Nazareth.
Gator Bites: The 2024-2025 season marks the 16th for Brian Barnes at the helm of the Gators...RSC which boasts the top defense and best scoring margin in the E8, finish the regular season with seven of the final ten, including six of the last seven, games away from home…The Gators got off to a 12-3 record, their best start to a season since 2014-15…Nine returnees combine with seven newcomers on this year's edition…Girard and senior forward Todd Williamson (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) were voted co-captains of this year's squad…Girard, the program's career leader for made three pointers, became just the fifth Gator to surpass 1,000 career points in the home win vs. Saint John Fisher on January 17…The co-captain started the day fourth in program records with 1,088 career points…He is guaranteed to finish his senior season ranked in the top-four in RSC records for career points, career assists, and career steals…Williamson was selected the E8 Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, January 5…He registered team-highs of 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in the home win vs. SUNY Cobleskill on January 3…Sophomore forward Avery Oduro-Dompreh (Elkridge, MD/Oakland Mills), is a presence in the post for the Gators...The forward began the week leading the Conference in blocks per-game and was ranked third in the E8 in rebounding… Junior guard Brandon Harris (Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton/Herkimer CC), who was announced as the E8 Conference Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, February 2…He averaged 25.3 points on 50.8 percent shooting across three games.
