KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — The Keuka College Men's Basketball team opened 2024 with a convincing 91-63 Empire 8 win over Hartwick College at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center on Friday night.  

Keuka College (4-5, 2-0 Empire 8) was led by Christian Sage (Owego, N.Y. / Owego Free Academy) with 19 points and four assists. Devin Milton (Opelousas, La. / Beau Chene) scored 15 and Alijah Ellis (Portsmouth, Va. / Indian River / Fork Union Military Academy) and Jaden Keasey (Newport News, Va. / Menchville) each added 12 in the win.

Keuka College 91 vs. Hartwick College 63

Both teams had a slow start to the game on Friday night as it was tied at 6-6 five minutes into the action. Down by one, Keuka got hot as they rattled off nine straight points in just over a minute to take a 17-9 lead. The Green and Gold pushed their lead to double digits on a Tyler Green (Sackets Harbor, N.Y. / Sackets Harbor) three midway through the half. The Wolves continued to widen the lead. A put-back layup by Jaden Keasey extended the lead to 21, 39-18, with five minutes left in the half. Keuka posted a 10-0 run late in the first. It was an awkward end to the first as the half was called with 44 seconds remaining due to a scoreboard malfunction. The teams were sent to their locker rooms with Keuka leading 53-27.

Hartwick scored three points in the resumption of the first half. Then, early in the second half, the Hawks hit three threes in a row to cut the Keuka lead to 56-40. The answer came from Keuka's Devin Milton as he knocked down a three and then had a fastbreak layup following a block by Alijah Ellis. The Wolves played with a sizeable lead for the rest of the game. Keuka's largest lead was 33 points as the Wolves won the conference matchup 91-63.

KC Notes:

• The Wolves earned their first win over Hartwick College since the 1996-97 season. Keuka is now 2-12 in the all-time series. It was Keuka's first home win against Hartwick
• It was the fourth time Keuka has scored 90 or more points this season. Friday was the most points ever for Keuka against Hartwick
• In the game, Christian Sage reached the 1,000-point milestone for his collegiate career. He began his journey playing a year at SUNY Broome. He then played one season at Cazenovia College before coming to Keuka College
• Playing in his first game since Thanksgiving, Devin Milton slotted right back into the Keuka lineup with a strong game. With his 15 points, he becomes just the third player in program history to score 1,300 points in a career. He moved to third on the career field goals list with 503 and fifth on the career threes list with 140, passing Keuka College Hall of Famer Matt Donahoe for both
• The Wolves were +12 in rebounding. Mason VanDeMortel (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) led with a game-high nine boards. He was backed up by Alijah Ellis and Will Tehan (Victor, N.Y. / Victor) with seven apiece.

Up Next for Keuka College: The Men's Basketball team will look to keep the momentum going and move to 3-0 in conference play for the first time since the 2014-15 season on Saturday. Keuka College will host Russell Sage College at 4 p.m. at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center. The Wolves have played the Gators well, going 4-1 against them since joining the Empire 8.