LANCASTER, PA – The Alfred University men's basketball team opened the Sponaugle New Years Tournament with a 72-62 loss to Franklin & Marshall College on Wednesday evening.

The Saxons (6-2) scored 40 of their points from inside the paint. Franklin & Marshall (4-5) won the rebound battle by a 37-34 margin. 

Elliot Bowen (Salamanca, NY/Ellicotville) led the Saxons with a team-high 14 points to go with eight rebounds. Brewster Marshall (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) finished with 12 points and a team-high nine boards. Kevin Durkin (Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph's Collegiate) tied his career-high with 10 points.

"We did a good job getting the ball inside," Head Coach Erich Kaempffe said. "It was a physical game and Franklin & Marshall did a nice job making it hard for us."

Alfred University set the tone offensively early in the opening half, as Durkin scored five of the team's opening seven points. The Saxons held onto the lead across the first five minutes of action, leading by as many as six points. A 10-0 ran by Franklin & Marshall was snapped by a layup from Darren Miller (Seneca Falls, NY/Mynderse). A three-point shot from Casey Curran (Allegany, NY/Allegany-Limestone) kept the Saxons within reach before entering halftime with a 36-29 deficit.

Franklin & Marshall capitalized on their lead to open the second half with a brief 5-0 run, but the Saxons answered with a 6-0 run of their own that included a three-point shot from Durkin. A successful three-point shot from Adam Enders (Belfast, NY/Belfast) out of a timeout had AU trailing by five points with eight minutes remaining. Franklin & Marshall retaliated with a 10-2 run to expand upon their lead. The Saxons found opportunities to score in the closing minutes, but could not capture the win.

"We are excited to play tomorrow," Kaempffe said. "We'll play hard and see what happens."

Alfred University will next play Wilkes University in the consolation game on Thursday at 1:00 PM.