ONEONTA, N.Y. – Playoff-bound Russell Sage College erased a 19-point first half deficit to defeat host Hartwick 77-69 this evening. The Gators shot 60.6 percent from the field during the final 20 minutes to wrap up their regular season with a victory.
RSC, heading to the Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament for the first time since 2022, received six or more points from six different players.
Sophomore 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, tallied 21 points, a career-high, on 10-of-12 shooting. The forward added five rebounds and two blocks.
Junior guard Brandon Harris (Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton/Herkimer CC) registered a double-double of 17 points of 6-of-14 shooting and 12 rebounds.
Sophomore guard Jden Golding (Green Cove Springs, FL/Clay) scored in twin figures for the second-straight game, tossing in 13.
The regular season finale was a tale of two halves as Hartwick (3-22/3-13 E8) shot 54.3 percent from the field, including 42.9 percent from three-point range, to hold a 45-28 lead at the break. RSC scored 36 of the next 53 points to take the lead for good at 64-62 with 5:29 to go. The Gators, the top defense in the Conference, held the Hawks to just 27.3 percent shooting in the second period. Hartwick went 0-of-9 from beyond the arc during the final frame.
Sophomore forward Henry Perkins (Albany, NY/Green Tech) provided Hartwick with a double-double of 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and 16 rebounds.
Tonight's road victory, combined with results from around the league, makes RSC(16-9/9-7 E8) the six seed in the E8 Conference Championship Tournament. The Gators will be on the road to play a Quarterfinal against a still to-be-determined opponent on Saturday.
Gator Bites: The 2024-2025 season marks the 16th for Brian Barnes at the helm of the Gators...RSC which boasts the top defense in the E8, will be making its fourth E8 Championship Tournament appearance…The Gators earned a spot in the playoffs for three-straight seasons: 2019-20 – 2021-22…RSC finished 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…Senior guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) 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…He moved into third place on the program's career scoring list on February 8 at Utica…The co-captain, who entered the week with 1,136 career points, became just the third Gator to dish out 200 career assists in the victory at Saint John Fisher on February 15…Girard is guaranteed to finish his senior campaign ranked in the top-three 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...Oduro-Dompreh 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…Harris was announced as the E8 Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday, February 2…He averaged 25.3 points on 50.8 percent shooting across three games.
