HOUGHTON, NY – The Russell Sage Gators avenged a month-old loss to the Houghton Highlanders, turning a tie game at the half into a 16-point victory, 96-80.
 
With less than nine minutes to play in the first half, the Highlanders trailed, 26-23, but a pair of baskets by Esafe Taufahema kick-started a three-minute, 11-0 run, putting Houghton up by eight.
 
For the next several minutes Houghton controlled the game, but over the final three-and-a-half minutes of the half, the Gators outscored the Highlanders, 11-3, and went to the locker rooms with the game knotted, 41-41.
 
The opening minutes of the second half looked like a grudge match, as the teams continued to trade baskets.  But after six minutes of play the Highlander shots failed to fall and the Gators reeled off an 8-0 run to take the lead, 61-53.
 
With just over eight minutes to go, a steal and breakaway dunk by David Rosa pulled Houghton to within four and it looked as though the tides would turn in the Highlanders favor, but Sage would score nine unanswered points, pushing their lead to 13 with 6:36 to play.
 
While the Highlanders would flash moments of threatening to pull back into contention, eventually the Gators would break down the doors, pulling ahead by as many as 19 points before closing the victory, 96-80.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 80 | Russell Sage – 96
Records: Houghton: 5-17 (4-11 Empire 8) | Russell Sage: 4-18 (2-13 Empire 8)
Venue: Dix Family Court, The Nielsen Center, Houghton University | Attendance: 142

NOTABLE STATS
>> The Gators sank 10-of-21 from three-point range (47.6%), and 24-of-32 from the line.  Houghton shot only 7-of-31 (22.6%) from long range, and only 7-of-17 (41.2%) from the line.
 
>> Jajuan Preaster posted 23 points, seven boards and five assists, while Taufahema picked up 16 points and six rebounds.
 
>> David Rosa garnered his third double-double of the season, scoring 15 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out six assists.
 
>> Noah Girard led the Gators with 24 points, eight assists and four steals. 
 
COACH'S CORNER
"I'll give a lot of credit to Sage and Coach Barnes. They've had a tough year, but game in and game out they've battled. They did again tonight and we didn't match their hunger or their execution.
 
"We also haven't fixed our issues with reading zone defenses yet, so we gave away another 20 possessions and 29 points off those turnovers. That is hard to overcome. But, tomorrow we'll have another chance to learn and grow. I'm confident that this group of Highlanders is not done climbing." – Head Coach Jeremy Bialek
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders return to the Nielsen Center tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. when they will host the Hartwick Hawks.  Houghton lost to Hartwick earlier this season, 76-97.