ELMIRA, N.Y. – Tyler McQuaid (Lowman, NY, Twin Tiers Christian Academy) scored 20 points and grabbed five rebounds to lead the Houghton Highlanders past the Elmira Soaring Eagles for the second time this season, 80-67. 
 
McQuaid's total leaves him 51 points shy of 1,000 for his career with only four games left in the season.
 
While the Highlanders started the game with the hot hand, jumping out to an early 10-4 lead.  The Soaring Eagles, however, would battle back, tying the game at 10 then exchanging baskets throughout most of the half.
 
With less than five minutes remaining in the half the Soaring Eagles led 21-20, but a Phil Pellegrino (Rochester, NY, Alfred University) layup gave the Highlanders the lead and kicked off a 13-3 run to give Houghton a nine point lead heading into the break.
 
Early in the second half, Elmira's Gino Leonardi did his best to bring the Soaring Eagles back, scoring three consecutive baskets to cut the Houghton lead to six. 
 
The Highlanders took back the momentum, though, starting a 15-5 run that freshman guard Dylan Lambert (Amherst, NY, Williamsville North) capped with thunderous dunk to give Houghton a 16 point lead.
 
Houghton would hold off several flurried attempts by the Soaring Eagles in the final minutes to seal the victory.
 
Game Vitals:
      >Score:  Houghton College - 80  |   Elmira College - 67
      >Records:  Houghton College: 10-11 (5-8 Empire 8)   |   Elmira: 4-18 (2-11 Empire 8)
      >Venue: Spiedel Gymnasium, Elmira, NY    |    Attendance: 273
 
Clutch Performances:
The Highlanders:
      >In addition to McQuaid's efforts, fellow senior Brandon Camacho (Dundee, NY, Dundee High School) totaled 15 points and five assists.
      >Pellegrino and Jordan Scott (Burlington, ON, Canada, Notre Dame Secondary) rounded out the double-digit scoring for the Highlanders with 14 and 11 points apiece, respectively.
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The Soaring Eagles:
      >Leonardi finished with 19 points and three assists.
       
Stat Analysis:
      >Houghton shot nearly 50 percent from the floor (28 of 57) and held Elmira to only 39 percent shooting (26 of 67).
      >The Highlanders held a decisive edge at the charity stripe, going 22-for-28, while Elmira finished 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.
 
Next Time Out:
The three-game road trip continues for the Highlanders this weekend as they travel to Ithaca College on Friday to take on the Bombers at 6:00 p.m.  The Bombers defeated the Highlanders earlier this year, 98-93 in Houghton.