ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College Men's Basketball had one of the top defenses in the country this season.
RSC (16-10) led the Empire 8 Conference in team defense, allowing just 66.5 points per-game. Opponents only made 39.0 percent of their field goal attempts, including 27.5 percent from three-point range, against the Gators. The marks ranked 20th and sixth respectively among NCAA Division III squads.
The Gators got after it on the glass, grabbing 42.62 rebounds per-game and boasting a 6.8 rebounding margin. Both averages were in the top-40 in the country and led the Conference.
Sophomore Avery Oduro-Dompreh (Elkridge, MD/Oakland Mills), voted the 2024-25 Empire 8 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, spearheaded the RSC defense.
The forward led the Conference with 36 total blocks, 1.4 per-game, and was tied for fourth in the E8 in rebounding at 7.5 per-game. Oduro-Dompreh, who averaged 10.4 points on 62.4 percent shooting, tallied 19 steals and 31 assists on the season. The forward registered five double-doubles, had 11 multiple-block performances, and grabbed double-digit boards on seven occasions.
"We couldn't be happier for Avery winning Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year this season," said Head Coach Brian Barnes at the time All-Conference results were announced. "Avery is an outstanding teammate whose overall development continues to impress our coaching staff. His defensive versatility allowed us to be amongst the nation's best in defensive field goal percentage and one of the best in Empire 8 Conference play in points per-game allowed. We are looking forward to his continued growth in our program and an exciting year to build on."
He closed his sophomore campaign atop the program's career record book with a 60.3 made field goal percentage, and fifth with 1.1 blocks per-game. The forward now has 53 career blocks, ninth-most by an RSC player.
The Gators, which had five players garner All-Conference honors, qualified for the E8 Championship Tournament for the fourth time in program history.
Gator Bites: The 2024-2025 season marked the 16th for Barnes at the helm of the Gators...RSC which boasts the top defense in the E8, made 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 combined 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…The co-captain, third all-time with 1,149 career points, became just the third Gator to dish out 200 career assists in the victory at Saint John Fisher on February 15…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…Junior guard Brandon Harris (Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton/Herkimer CC) 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…The junior tallied 32 points at Alfred on January 31, tied for fourth-most in a game by an RSC player...Junior guard Trevor Green (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh/HVCC), a second-team All-E8 selection, tied for third in the Conference with 2.00 steals per-game...Harris and Girard were voted third-team All-Conference, while Williamson represented the program on the Conference's Sportsmen of the Year Team.
