ALFRED, NY—The Alfred University Saxons took home a grinder of a game from the visiting Houghton College Highlanders Friday evening at the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena, 82-77.
 
The Saxons took home the scrappy points in the paint, outscoring Houghton 42-34 and capitalized on turnovers netting 25 points off turnovers compared to the Highlander's 16 on the way to their third Empire 8 victory on the season. 
 
The Saxons got out to an early lead with 18:17 left in the first half and never let the lead out of their clutches again the rest of the game.  Tough defense, along with precision shooting from the field (58.1%) and three-point range (42.9%), abled AU to grab a sufficient lead of 13 points at the half, 48-35.
 
The first half was dominated by the junior guard Julian Reinhart (Hornell, NY/Hornell) who was unstoppable while driving to the hoop.  All of his 15 first half points were essentially acrobatic plays that found the net. 
 
In the second session the Highlanders nickeled and dimed the Saxons defense and crawled their way back into a seeming blow out.  With 7:04 to go in the game Houghton was down by four points after a Johnathan Stowe free throw to make the game 64-60.  Only seconds later senior Ryan Mahon (Oneonta, NY/Oneonta) answered with two free throws to put the Saxons lead back to six.
 
The Highlanders then seemed to break through the AU defenses and brought the game within three-points on a free throw made by John Nelson with 3:15 to go.  However, the Saxons did not panic and quickly ramped up a seven point lead only second later off two good free throws by Reinhart and a steal-layup combo from Jerry Kincel (Moosic, PA/Riverside).  The rest of the game the Saxons capitalized on free throws to put the Highlanders away.
 
Reinhart finished the night with a game-high 19 points while adding two assists.  Sophomore Tyler Seelman (Lorton, VA/Hayfield Secondary) was right behind him with 15 points and two assists, while Dalton Walsh's (Stockton, NY/Cassadega Valley) double-double streak was snapped at two games, netting 14 points and 8 boards.
 
The Saxons return to action tomorrow, Sat. January 10^th to take on Utica College in an Empire 8 showdown.