TROY, NY – Senior forward Dalton Cousin (Sherrill, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) recorded his second double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds) of the season as the Alfred University men's basketball team edged out host The Sage College 80-79 Saturday afternoon in Empire 8 action.
 
Senior guard Nick Schmidt (Olean, NY/Olean) added 18 points while sophomore guard Sam Dagon (Hornell, NY/Hornell) chipped in 11 points off the bench. First-year forward Jeremiah Zitz (Irondequoit, NY/Irondequoit) was efficient on the boards as he grabbed nine rebounds (four offense, five defense).
 
The Saxons (16-6, 9-4 Empire 8) opened the game firing on all cylinders, going on an 11-5 run. The Gators tried to cut into the lead as Kevin Lenehan hit his jump shot to make it 11-7 with 15:48 to go in the first half. Schmidt answered as he knocked down his three-point shot with junior guard Scotty Stopera (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glennville) getting the assist. Alfred's lead grew to 11 as senior forward Tristin Hook (Red Bank, NJ/Middletown North) threw down a dunk to make it 35-34 with just over five minutes left in the first half. Dagon would help grow the lead as he drove the lane for the layup as Alfred took a 44-32 lead into halftime.
 
The Gators didn't go away quietly, as they opened up the second half on an 18-6 run and tied it up at 50 with a layup from Barceem Dukes with 14:29 left in regulation. Dagon was able to regain the lead for the Saxons on the ensuing possession with his layup attempt. Sage was able to gain the lead with 12:28 in the second as Jordan Devaughn knocked down his shot from beyond the arc to make it 55-54. Alfred was able to get the lead back as Schmidt was able to convert his and-one opportunity to make it 59-56.
 
Both teams had a tough time trying to gain grown on one another before Sage got a five-point lead as Devaughn made both of his free-throw attempts to make it 78-73 with under two minutes left in regulation. Junior forward Sage Brown (Cortland, NY/Cortland) hit a huge three-pointer for the Saxons to cut the lead to 79-78 with :44 left to play. Dagon came up big in the closing seconds as he hit the game winning layup with :31 left on the clock. Sage had an opportunity to clinch the game with Dukes at the line, but he came up short on both free-throw attempts.
 
 "It was a hard-fought win on the road," said Head Coach Russell Phillips. "Sage was very good on the offensive boards and executed really well in the second half. We were fortunate to get some big baskets and rebounds in the final minutes to close it out."
 
The Gators were led by Lenehan with 22 points and 11 rebounds while Dukes added 17 points, respectively.
 
The Saxons were able to control the paint as they outscored Sage (44-32) while also getting huge contributions from the bench (24-9).
 
The Saxons return home next Tuesday, February 13, as they close out their regular season home schedule against Empire 8 foe Nazareth College at 6 PM.