ALFRED, NY – An impressive defensive performance from the Alfred University men's basketball team resulted in a 79-47 win over Russell Sage College on Saturday afternoon from the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena.
 
The Saxons (10-3, 5-1 Empire 8) clinched their fifth straight win for the first time since the 2018-19 season. The defense limited the Gators (2-9, 0-4 Empire 8) to just one made shot from three-point range in the win.
 
Alfred University was led by Brewster Marshall (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads), who finished the game with a team-high 17 points to go with six rebounds, one block and one steal. Mike Schmidt (Olean, NY/Olean) ended with 11 points, five assists and a team-high four steals. Kevin Durkin (Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph's Collegiate) added 11 points for AU.
 
"It's always good to get three wins in a week," Head Coach Erich Kaempffe said. "I'm happy for our guys as they've been working really hard and I thought their preparation paid off."
 
Schmidt got the Saxons rolling early, scoring seven of the team's first nine points. A three-point shot from Durkin sparked a 10-0 run for Alfred University, as they led by as many as eight points with under seven minutes remaining in the first half. Durkin landed an additional shot from deep in the closing seconds before AU went into halftime with a 28-21 lead.
 
Marshall opened scoring for the Saxons in the second half, recording the team's first five points. A three-point shot from Adam Enders (Belfast, NY/Belfast) gave Alfred University their first double-digit advantage of the evening. Moments later, an 11-0 run by the Saxons extended the lead up to 22 points. The Saxons shared the ball well to close out the game, as 10 different players scored across the last 10 minutes to secure the win.
 
"We know we have a long way to go and we're excited to hopefully get better for two terrific opponents this weekend," Kaempffe said.
 
Alfred University will next travel to face Keuka College on Friday with tip-off slated for 7:30 PM.