HOUGHTON, NY – Coming into tonight's cross-county, non-conference matchup between the Alfred State Pioneers and the Houghton Highlanders every game for the past seven years had been decided by less than five points.
 
Make it eight.
 
At the half, Houghton led by nine points, before running away with the first nine minutes of the second half.  With just over 11 minutes left to play in the game, the Highlanders led by 24 points, 66-42.
 
With six minutes remaining, it looked as though Houghton had the game all but locked up, as they maintained a robust 21-point advantage, 81-60, following a three-pointer from Donavan Loudermill.
 
Cue the dramatic music. 
 
Over the next five minutes and fifty-two seconds, the Pioneers would outscore the Highlanders, 20-0, cutting the Houghton lead to a single point with only eight second remaining.
 
Forced to foul, Alfred State sent Lou Bellamy to the line, where he put two in the bank, with only four ticks remaining on the clock.
 
The Pioneers inbounded the ball and got across half court, calling timeout with two seconds remaining.
 
Two quick passes found Mykell Lawson at the top of the key for the desperation three, but the ball clanked off the back side of the rim, as the Highlanders held on for their first win of the 2025-26 season.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 83 | Alfred State – 80
Records: Houghton: 1-2 |Alfred State: 1-3
Venue: Dix Family Court, The Nielsen Center, Houghton University| Attendance: 327

NOTABLE STATS
>> Lou Bellamy posted 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Jake Verschoyle added 16 points and three assists.
 
>> Donovan Loudermill collected nine points, eight assists, five rebounds and five steals, while Tyson Clark added 12 points and six assists.
 
>> Alfred State's Darious Cunningham, Jr. scored a game-high 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"Definitely a weird game, and one we're glad to survive. Hudson Idzi going down three minutes into the game plus Manos [Manolopolous] getting into foul trouble changed a lot of our substitution patterns. We did a lot well to build that 20-point lead, but need to be more consistent.
 
"I'm really pleased with our bench play - specifically James Wang and Jair Bialek. They came up big by hitting shots, defending, and grabbing timely boards.
 
"This wasn't Lou Bellamy's best game, but when 24 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two of the biggest free throws in recent memory equal not your best game, you are a good player. I'm blessed to be coaching him." - Head Coach Jeremy Bialek

UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to Hamburg, New York, next Wednesday, November 19, to take on the Hilbert Hawks at 7:00 p.m.