Box Score ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University men's basketball team kept pace in its quest for an Empire 8 Conference regular season title with a 116-94 win over visiting Utica College Friday evening in the McLane Center.

AU used solid shooting and a decided rebounding advantage to move to 8-3 in Empire 8 play (17-5 overall). The Saxons held a 60-48 lead at halftime, courtesy of 48 percent (21-of-43) first-half shooting. Alfred made seven three-pointers and connected on 11 of 14 free throws, and outrebounded Utica, 27-16, in the game's first 20 minutes.

The Saxons kept it up after intermission, shooting 49 percent (22 of 45) in the second half and outrebounding the Pioneers, 31-20. For the game, Alfred shot 49 percent, made 12 three-point shots and held a 58-36 rebounding advantage while forcing 19 Utica turnovers.

Freshman guard Tyler Seelman (Lorton, VA/Hayfield Secondary) led six Alfred players in double figures with 14 points to go with six assists and two steals. Junior center Dalton Walsh (Stockton, NY/Cassadaga Valley) had 12 points, four rebounds and a pair of blocks.

Sophomore forward Jerry Kincel (Moosic, PA/Riverside), junior guard Mike Snyder (Pulaski, NY/Pulaski) and senior forward Jason Ruback (Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon) each scored 11 points and senior guard Thomas Tsatsis (Neponsit, NY/Townsend Harris) had 10. Tsatsis and Kincel each pulled down seven rebounds.

Ian Henderson scored a game-high 15 points for Utica, while Marion Lewis (seven rebounds) and Marty Felicia each added 12.

Alfred, which plays Saturday at 2 p.m. against visiting St. John Fisher, now sits alone in second place in the Empire 8 standings, a half-game behind Stevens, which has a 9-3 league mark. Stevens has two conference games left on its schedule: at Hartwick on Tuesday and home against Elmira next Friday. The Saxons have three E8 games left: Saturday against Fisher, Tuesday at Nazareth, and next Saturday at home against Ithaca. Hartwick (8-4) is in third place in the conference standings; Nazareth (7-4) is in fourth; and Fisher (8-5) is in fifth.

The top four teams earn bids to the conference championship tournament, the winner of which gets the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III championship tournament. The conference's regular season champ will host the conference tournament; if there is a tie atop the final league standings, a tiebreaking system determines which team will serve as host.