ALBANY, N.Y. – Russell Sage College overcame both a slow start and a late visiting Penn College of Technology charge in this afternoon's 77-64 non-conference victory.
Four Gators scored in twin figures in the home win.
Junior guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) registered a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, six assists, four blocks and three steals to lead the way.
Junior forward Todd Williamson (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) tossed in 12 points, while senior forward Tahirou Hamidou (Bronx, NY/Carolina Basketball Academy/Livingstone) recorded a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds, and three blocks.
Senior guard/forward Jackson Brown (Latham, NY/Catholic Central/Fredonia State) rounded out the quartet with 10 points.
Down by more than double-digits midway through the first half, the Gators (6-4) closed the stanza on a 26-4 run during the final 10:33 to head into the break up 37-27. Girard tallied 13 of his points in the opening period.
RSC appeared to be set to go on the cruise control, getting out to a pair of 16-point advantages in the second half. The Wildcats (4-10) roared back, using an 11-0 run across 3:22 to get within five with 5:10 remaining. The PCT deficit was trimmed to three twice, including at 60-57 with 3:22 left, before Girard keyed a 12-3 RSC run during 1:24. The co-captain banged a three-pointer to commence a stretch where he registered nine points and an assist.
PCT junior guard Gavin Barrett topped all participants with 25 points, while junior guard Livingston Cross contributed a double-double of 22 points on 11-of-19 shooting and 14 rebounds
RSC, which curtailed a three-game skid, returns to Empire 8 Conference play at Utica on Friday at 7:30 pm.
Gator Bites: Head coach Brian Barnes is in his 15th season at the helm of the Gators…Seven returnees and eight newcomers comprise this year's roster…The team's co-captains: Girard, Brown and Williamson helped the Gators get off to a 4-0 start…Girard entered the week leading the Gators with 16.7 points per-game... He recorded 31 points, a career-high, on 10-of-16 shooting in the November 18 win at SUNY Poly...Brown added 13.2 points per-game, while Williamson averaged 6.9 points and 5.8 rebounds...An RSC player has taken home Empire 8 Conference Rookie of the week on four occasions...Freshman center Khalel Noteman (Brooklyn, NY/Canarsie) was picked three times (November 13, November 27, December 4), while freshman guard Deavion Springsteen (Albany, NY/Albany) was chosen on November 20.
