Alfred, NY – The Alfred State men's basketball team notched a nail-biting 69-68 victory over the Mount Aloysius Mounties. With the win, Alfred improves to 5-11 on the season and 3-4 in conference play.

Mykell Lawson led the offense with 21 points, three assists, and two steals while connecting on four triples. Kennyh Hardeman delivered a dominant double-double, posting 19 points and 17 rebounds, while Darius Cunningham added 11 points and four steals.

The Pioneers opened the contest with confidence, getting on the board first as Hardeman threw down a dunk off a steal. The opening minutes featured steady back-and-forth action, with Mount Aloysius holding a slim 8-6 edge. Alfred quickly responded with a three-pointer from Cunningham followed by a mid-range jumper from Hardeman to reclaim the lead, 11-10.

After the Mounties briefly answered, Lawson drilled a decisive triple to regain control and ignite a 9-2 run. Hardeman added two baskets during the surge, while Joe Bauer capped it with a three-pointer to extend the lead to 21-14.

Alfred continued its hot shooting from deep late in the half as Eli Taft and Lawson knocked down triples to push the advantage to 27-20. Elijah Kioko began to find his rhythm inside, while Cunningham remained steady on offense, helping the Pioneers close the first half with a 39-26 cushion.

The second half opened much like the first, with Hardeman throwing down another emphatic dunk. Both teams traded baskets over the next several minutes, but Alfred maintained control. Through trips to the free-throw line and a Cunningham three, the Pioneers built a 60-47 advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Mount Aloysius capitalized on an Alfred scoring drought to mount a late push, narrowing the deficit to 63-60 with four minutes left. The teams continued to trade baskets down the stretch, as Lawson and Cunningham delivered timely scoring to keep Alfred narrowly in front, 67-66.

With 1:19 remaining, Lawson drew a foul and calmly knocked down both free throws to extend the lead to 69-66. The Mounties answered with a layup to pull within one, but Alfred held firm defensively in the final seconds to secure the 69-68 victory.

Alfred will face off against the Hilbert Hawks next in Hamburg, NY. Tipoff is set for Wednesday, January 21^st at 7pm.