WILLIAMSTOWN, MA - The Alfred University men's basketball team opened the Williams Tip-Off Tournament with a 70-60 win over MCLA on Saturday night. 

Zion Baitey (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) led the Saxons with a team-high 16 points to go with six rebounds and three steals. Amoi Charles (Elmont, NY/H. Frank Carey) finished the game with 11 points and seven boards. Franlys Valenzuela (Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic/San Ysidro) notched a double-double performance that consisted of 10 points and 15 rebounds. 

"I thought tonight was a tough win and those are always to get on the road," Head Coach Erich Kaempffe said. "MCLA played really nicely, and our guys did a good job taking their best shot and finding a way to win anyway. I loved our work ethic on the backboards. It is always good to win the glass by double figures. 

Both sides traded baskets early in the first half, with four lead changes taking place within the first five minutes of action. Robby Hicks (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) sparked AU's bench to keep the team within contention, while Charles scored four of the final six points of the half, as the Saxons led 31-30 going into the break. Baitey and Charles combined for nine of the first 11 points for Alfred University to begin the second half. Later in the half, a layup from Nolan Gilbert (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) was followed by a pair of successful free throws by Charles, as the Saxons led by as many as seven points with 10 minutes remaining. Seven of the final nine points for AU came from the charity stripe, while the defense held on to secure the win for the Saxons. 

Alfred University will next face Williams College on Sunday at 3:00 PM.