The Hamilton College men's basketball team dropped a 74-62 decision to SUNY Brockport Monday in the opening round of Medaille College's Knee Center Holiday Tournament. The Continentals (5-4) will face Alfred State Tuesday at 1 p.m. in the tournament's consolation game.

The Golden Eagles (5-1) led the entire game on the way to their fourth straight win. They opened up their biggest lead – 59-42 – with 6:42 left before Hamilton went on a 16-4 run. Peter Kazickas '15 scored all eight of his points during the three-and-a-half minute spurt as the Continentals closed to within five points. Brockport responded by scoring 11 of the game's final 15 points to seal the win; the Golden Eagles made all eight of their free-throw attempts and held the Continentals to one basket during the game-ending stretch.

Matthew Hart '16, playing just outside his hometown of Orchard Park, led Hamilton with 16 points, a season-best eight rebounds and two assists. Matt Dean '14 and Greg Newton '14 both scored 10 points; Dean's total was a season high.

Jack Donnelly '16 scored a season-high eight points and paced the Continentals with three steals. Bradley Gifford '15 matched Hart with eight rebounds, tying his season-best total.

John Ivy led Brockport with 24 points, including an eight-for-eight showing from the free-throw line, and pulled down eight rebounds. Patrick Coyle, who scored 15 points, posted game-best totals of 11 rebounds and five blocked shots.
 
The Golden Eagles, who were coming off a three-win performance to win the eight-team Wendy's Classic, allowed just one basket in the game's first 6:22 and opened up a 15-5 lead at the 12:26 mark. Eight straight Hamilton points, including four by Hart, pulled the Continentals to within two points but Brockport's 11-1 run put the Golden Eagles back in control.