ALBANY, N.Y. – In a matchup featuring two of the top-three scoring defenses in the Empire 8 Conference, Russell Sage College was upended 70-60 by Alfred this afternoon.
Both squads' defenses were up to task during the E8 matinee. The Gators, which began the weekend second in the E8 by allowing 67.8 points per-game, limited Alfred to 39.7 percent shooting and forced 14 turnovers. The Saxons (6-9/3-3 E8), which were third in the Conference at 68.6 points per-game allowed, used a 13-0 run spanning 9:24 of the second half to turn a deficit into a double-digit lead. Alfred's effort on the boards to get multiple extra possessions keyed the deciding stretch. The Saxons out-rebounded RSC 46-25, including 15-4 on the offensive glass, to pick up the road conference victory.
Junior guard Noah Girard (Glens Falls, NY/Glens Falls) topped the Gators with 16 points. Junior guard Marcus Gentile (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central/Utica) and freshman guard Deavion Springsteen (Albany, NY/Albany) added 13 and 11 points respectively.
Junior forward Oscar Wolter registered 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, 18 rebounds, and five assists to lead Alfred.
RSC (6-8/0-6 E8) hosts The Pratt Institute on Monday at 2:00 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, senior guard Jackson Brown (Latham, NY/Catholic Central/Fredonia State) and junior forward Todd Williamson (Schenectady, NY/Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons) helped the Gators get off to a 4-0 start…Girard entered the day leading the Gators with 17.2 points per-game, good for fifth in the E8... He recorded 31 points, a career-high, on 10-of-16 shooting in the November 18 win at SUNY Poly...Brown added 11.6 points per-game, while Williamson averaged 8.4 points and 6.2 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 Springsteen was chosen on November 20.
