UTICA, NY – The Alfred University men's basketball team survived a tough road battle at Utica College on Friday night. The Saxons (19-4, 12-2 Empire 8) pulled away in the final two minutes on their way to the 86-77 win over the Pioneers.
 
Utica came out firing on all cylinders with an 8-0 run to start the game. AU eventually got on the board at the 17:51 mark with a Sage Brown (Cortland, NY/Cortland) layup.
 
A three-point play from Utica's Avery Coston put the Pioneers up by 18 points with 6:14 to play in the first half and created some serious concern for the Saxons. 
 
From that point, AU turned it on and went on a 16-2 run to pull within four. Three-pointers from Brewster Marshall (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) and Cole Eells (Ithaca, NY/Ithaca) ignited the Saxon shooting.
 
A late three from Utica made the score 41-34 in favor of the Pioneers at the break. 
 
Utica went up 43-34 to open the second half but it was short lived thanks to back to back three's from Dom LeMorta (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) followed by another triple from Scotty Stopera (Scotia, NY/Scotia-Glenville) to erase the nine point deficit. 
 
A minute later, LeMorta hit a jumper to give AU its first lead and Eells converted another three-pointer to give the Saxons a five-point advantage.
 
Eells and LeMorta continued to hit shots from beyond the arc to give Alfred a nine-point cushion with 14:11 left to play, but Utica was not finished.
 
The Pioneers stormed back with a three along with a couple of steals leading to buckets and tied the game at 57 with 12 minutes left in regulation. 
 
LeMorta free throws broke the tie once again but a three from the Pioneers but Alfred back down one with just under 11 minutes to play. 
 
Multiple layups in the paint, along with a fast break basket put the Saxons back up by five points but the Pioneers continued to answer with buckets and were down just one with 4:43 left to play. 
 
Stopera hit another three to pad the Alfred lead at the 3:47 mark and the Saxons took care of business on the defensive end and at the free throw line to come away with another Empire 8 victory. 
 
"Quality win on the road," Head Coach Russell Phillips said. "Utica came out and took it to us in the first half but we responded and started getting stops. Our effort on the boards in the second half was huge and we got hot on the arc. Quick turnaround and we need to move forward for Fisher tomorrow."
 
LeMorta recorded a season high 26 points, including a perfect 12-12 from the free throw line. He also posted a team high five assists.  Elliot Bowen (Salamanca, NY/Ellicottville) scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots. Sam Dagon (Hornell, NY/Hornell) chipped in 14 points while Brown and Eells each scored 11. 
 
AU will head to St. John Fisher College for a big matchup with the Cardinals tomorrow at 4PM.