Houghton, NY -- The Elmira College men's basketball team (5-7, 1-3 E8) scored 45 points in the first half to make way for a 76-61 victory over Houghton College (3-10). Josh Keys'14 and Neil Randolph '15 led the Soaring Eagles offensively with 21 points apiece.

The Purple and Gold started the night with a 9-2 run that was sparked with a Keys three-pointer in the first minute of the game. Houghton responded with 7-3 run to cut EC's lead to just four. This would be the closest the Highlanders would get to Elmira the rest of the half as the Soaring Eagles took control of the game early. Keys led all scoring in the first half with 18 points after shooting 6-9 from beyond the arc. Randolph was behind Keys with 12 points and took down seven boards to help Elmira lead 45-31 going into the locker rooms.

The Highlanders cut EC's lead down to seven points five different times in the second period, the last was with just 5:36 left in the game. The Soaring Eagles would go on to record a 9-2 run that was sparked by a Derrick Vogel '14 jump shot. Houghton battled back with a 4-0 and trailed by 11 with 54 seconds left, but ran out of time as Elmira would claim their second win in three games.

Keys made seven three-point buckets in tonight's contest, putting him only 27 career three-point shots away from first place in EC men's basketball history.

The Soaring Eagles will have only a few days rest before they host St. Lawrence University this Friday, January 17^th. Tip-off is set for 6:00 p.m.