UTICA, NY - A competitive overtime effort for the Alfred University men's basketball team resulted in a 67-63 loss to SUNY Poly on Friday night. 

Tyler Hind (Randolph, NY/Randolph) matched his season-high with 20 points to go with five rebounds and a pair of steals. Oscar Wolter (Munich, NY/Lycee Jean Renoir) finished the game with 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Amoi Charles (Elmont, NY/H. Frank Carey) added nine points and a career-high seven steals for AU. 

"This was a tough one tonight," Head Coach Erich Kaempffe said. "SUNY Poly is very good and they made a few more plays than we did. It obviously stings to lose like that, but we'll get back up tomorrow and do our best to bounce back."

The Saxons set the tone in the opening half, holding the initial lead for over 10 minutes of action. Six early points from AJ Giaquinto (Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) had Alfred University ahead by as many as six points. The Wildcats outscored the Saxons by a 15-6 fashion across the final eight minutes of the half, as Alfred University trailed 31-28 going into halftime. Five early points by SUNY Poly forced AU to play from behind. A 15-3 run by the Saxons had the team behind by a single possession with just over three minutes remaining in regulation. Five combined points between Zion Baitey (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) and Hind had Alfred University leading by one point with just over one minute left. The Wildcats responded with a successful shot in the closing seconds, sending the contest into overtime. 

SUNY Poly took an early lead in overtime, but Baitey quickly equalized the game with a shot of his own. Kenneth Allison Jr (Troy, NY/Lansingburgh) and Hind each hit successful shots for the Saxons in overtime, but SUNY Poly relied on four points in the last minute to come away with the win. 

Alfred University will next face a quick turnaround with a road contest at Utica University on Saturday at 4:00 PM.