ALBANY, NY— Jajuan Preaster and Esafe Taufahema scored 23 points apiece, guiding the Houghton Highlanders to their third win of the season, an 83-75, victory over the Russell Sage Gators.
 
The Gators opened the game with a 6-0 run and quickly built a seven-point lead in the opening minutes.  Houghton battled back, eventually taking a seven-point lead of their own late in the first half, before the teams went into the break separated by only two, 38-36.
 
The game remained close in the opening minutes of the second half, but back-to-back threes by Daniel Rosario put Houghton up by six and gave the Highlanders some much-needed momentum with 12:33 left to play. 
 
Within minutes Houghton would open up a double-digit lead and never look back.  While the Gators would come within six points with 1:23 left on the clock, a layup by Taufahema and a pair of free throws from Rosario would put the game out of reach.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 83 | Russell Sage – 75
Records: Houghton: 3-11 (2-5 Empire 8) | Russell Sage: 3-11 (1-6 Empire 8)
Venue: Kahl Gymnasium, Russell Sage Colleges| Attendance: 154

NOTABLE STATS
>> Preaster and Tuafahema would shoot a combined 19-for-30 (63.3%) from the floor and grab seven rebounds apiece.
 
>> Reece Gustafson added 13 points for the Highlanders.  He has scored 25 points in his last two games.
 
>> Rosario finished with 11 points, while Luke Cole added nine points and six rebounds, and David Rosa chipped in seven assists and eight rebounds.
 
>> Prior to Russell Sage joining the Empire 8, the teams had never met before 2018.  Since that time, entering this evening's contest, the Gators were 8-0 against the Highlanders.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"These men gave quite a response to that disappointing game last night. I saw heart, discipline, adjustment, and composure from a team that had a lot of momentum working against us.

"Three shot clock violations on defense showed we were engaged on that end today. Great ball movement on offense, too. We will be a fun team to watch over the next several weeks if we bring that unity and willingness game-in and game-out.
 
On Reece Gustafson: "Esafe and Juan got us some big paint points and our shooters helped keep the lead, but Reece's loose ball dive that forced a 10-second call may be the turning point in our season. He later called a key out of bounds play that we scored on to seal it. As our lone senior, that is program-changing stuff." - Head Coach Jeremy Bialek

UP NEXT
The Highlanders remain on the road this upcoming Tuesday, when they will travel to Elmira to take on the Soaring Eagles at 7:30 p.m.