HOUGHTON, NY – The Alfred University men's basketball team fought hard as part of a 97-94 overtime loss to Houghton University on Tuesday evening.

Zion Baitey (Morristown, NJ/Morristown) led Alfred University with a double-double performance that consisted of 37 points and 15 rebounds. The point total for Baitey was the most by a Saxon dating back to the 2018-19 season. Gennaro Picco (Hornell, NY/Hornell) finished the game with 21 points to go with five steals on the defensive end. Josh Ademiju (Elkridge, MD/Howard) added 13 points and nine boards off the bench for AU.

The Highlanders began the game on a 7-0 run, but the Saxons responded with a layup from Franlys Valenzuela (Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic/San Ysidro) to open scoring. Consecutive baskets by Baitey cut the deficit for Alfred University. Tyler Hind (Randolph, NY/Randolph) and Picco scored from beyond the arc, but consistent scoring from Houghton had them leading by as many as 17 points with less than six minutes remaining in the first half. Baitey and Valenzuela each contributed in the scoring column in the closing minutes, but Alfred University went into halftime trailing 42-22.

Nolan Gilbert (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cumberland Valley) was the first to score for the Saxons to begin the second half. Moments later, Ademiju scored seven consecutive points for AU to cut into the deficit. Later in the half, a layup from Baitey had Alfred University trailing by 10 points with under four minutes to play. Baskets by Baitey and Picco turned the matchup into a six-point difference with under three minutes to play. A steal from Abdoul Toure (Brooklyn, NY/High School for Public Service) led to free throw attempts, as the Saxons were behind by three points with 28 seconds remaining. Following a pair of successful free throws by Picco, Ademiju forced a jump ball to give the Saxons the ball back with just six seconds remaining in regulation. With the game on the line, a reverse layup from Baitey sent Alfred University into overtime.

In overtime, an offensive rebound by Ademiju led to a basket in the paint to give AU their first lead of the evening. The Highlanders responded with five points of their own to take the lead back with roughly two minutes to play. Layups by Gilbert and Picco had the Saxons behind by one point with 48 seconds remaining. However, a pair of free throws from Houghton in the closing seconds was enough to extend the advantage and close out the game with a narrow win.  

Alfred University will next travel to face Elmira College on Friday night with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 PM.