HOUGHTON, NY— Another stifling defensive effort from the Houghton Highlanders moved the team to a perfect 11-0 on the season, as they pulled away from the Alfred Saxons in the final 10 minutes, 64-42.
 
The Highlanders held the Saxons under 30 percent shooting for the game and forced 25 turnovers, 16 by steal, in what has become a calling card for the team.
 
Alfred kept the game close through the half, trailing by only a single point after the first quarter, and only four points at the half.
 
Houghton, however, would slowly begin to pull away, opening the third quarter on a 7-0 run to go up by 11.  Alfred would draw back within six, but a layup by Emma Cole in the waning seconds put the Highlanders back up by eight heading into the final quarter.
 
With less than three minutes remaining in the game, and the Highlanders leading by 10, Crysta LaCrosse nailed a three, kicking off a 12-0 Highlanders run to close out the game.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 64 | Alfred – 42
Records: Houghton: 11-0 (3-0 Empire 8) | Alfred: 3-5 (0-2 Empire 8)
Venue: Dix Family Court, The Nielsen Center, Houghton University | Attendance: 165

NOTABLE STATS
>> Houghton maintained a sizeable advantage over the Saxons in points-off-turnovers, 28-to-4, thanks to their high-pressure defense, and only committing seven turnovers.
 
>> Through the first three quarters, the Highlanders shot just 17-for-56 (30 percent), including only 2-for-18 (11 percent) from beyond the arc.  But in the final 10 minutes they converted 10-of-19 shots from the floor (53 percent) and hit 6-of-11 (55 percent) from long distance.
 
>> Alfred converted 13-of-16 chances from the free-throw line, while Houghton went only 2-for-5.
 
>> Kayla Camacho logged her ninth consecutive game with at least 10 points, scoring 17, while adding five rebounds, five assists and four steals.  She has reached double digit points in 10 of the Highlanders 11 games this season.
 
>> Trinity Copeland turned in a well-rounded performance, collecting 10 rebounds, five assists, six steals and six points.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"This team is tough!  This has been an exhausting week of travel, games, final exams, end [of the] semester, etc… but this team [continues to prove that they are] mentally tougher than the circumstances.
 
"This was a great game to end 2023 for us.  I'm so proud of this group and proud to be their coach.
 
"There is some well-[deserved] time off coming up.  I know the team is going to stay motivated over break and just want even more success when they come back.
 
"Again, I can't speak highly enough about this group and how proud I am to be around them every day." – Head Coach Phil Pellegrino
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders will take nearly a month off for Christmas break before returning to the Nielsen Center on Tuesday, January 2, when they will host the Penn College Wildcats at 7:00 p.m.  The Highlanders have won both matchups with the Wildcats over the past two seasons, 71-66 in December 2021, and 66-43 in December 2022.