GENESEO, NY— Christian Sage and Lou Bellamy combined to score 46 points, as the Houghton Highlanders rode a strong first half to victory over the SUNY Geneseo Knights on Saturday afternoon, 82-65.
 
Sage (24 points) and Bellamy (22 points) went 16-for-27 from the floor, 7-for-12 from three-point range, and a perfect 7-for-7 from the line.
 
Ten minutes into the game, Bellamy hit a jumper that put Houghton up by 10 points, and the Highlanders continued to separate throughout the half, leading by 20 in the final seconds, and eventually entered the break up by 18.
 
Geneseo made a strong run in the opening minutes of the second half, riding a 14-0 run and pulling within five points with just under 13 minutes to play.
 
The game remained close for several more minutes, but eventually the Highlanders broke free, peeling off an 18-0 run to take a commanding, 77-52, lead.  
 
The Knights would not recover from the late Houghton run, as the Highlanders pulled their Empire 8 conference record back to .500.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 82 | Geneseo – 65 
Records: Houghton: 9-8 (4-4 Empire 8) | Geneseo: 5-12 (2-6 Empire 8)
Venue: Schrader Gymnasium, SUNY Geneseo | Attendance: 388

NOTABLE STATS
>> Sage topped the 20-point mark for the sixth time this season, and Bellamy did so for the seventh.
 
>> Trey Flatt scored nine points and dished out a career-high eight assists.
 
>> While the Knights shot nearly 80 percent (19-for-24) from the line, the shot an icy 35 percent from the field, including only 24 percent in the first half.
 
>> Josh Garelle led Geneseo with 17 points, shooting 7-for-10 on the night.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"Today we saw what we can be and also what we can be. The thrill of that first half is immediately offset by a very lax start to the second half, only to go on another incredible run. To be a championship team, we need to eliminate the immature, unfocused  stretches.
 
"Christian Sage is such a gamer. He promised to bring something today after shooting poorly last night and boy did he - big shot after big shot plus a fire that was contagious!
 
"I loved how patient and calculated Lou Bellamy was today. He got a lot of attention, but picked his spots well, defended, and stayed out of foul trouble after picking up two early." - Head Coach Jeremy Bialek

UP NEXT
The Highlanders head to Alfred on Tuesday, January 28 for another Empire 8, inter-county, rivalry matchup with the Alfred University Saxons.  Tip-off is slated for 7:30 p.m.