Alfred, NY — The Alfred State men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season with an impressive second-half comeback, erasing a four-point halftime deficit to defeat Carlow, 80-72, Friday evening in Alfred.
After trailing 39-35 at the break, the Pioneers came out firing in the second half, shooting 45.2 percent from the floor and knocking down seven three-pointers over the final 20 minutes. Alfred State used a balanced offensive attack and strong rebounding effort to outscore Carlow 45-33 after intermission and secure the eight-point victory.
Leading the charge was
Will Vetter, who poured in a game-high 23 points. After being held to three points in the first half, Vetter caught fire after the break, scoring 20 second-half points while connecting on six three-pointers.
Walter Pierre-Louis Jr. stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while
Kennyh Hardeman recorded a dominant double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, including eight offensive boards. Hardeman also added three steals and a blocked shot.
The Pioneers received valuable contributions throughout the lineup.
Eli Taft finished with eight points and three assists,
Markus Robinson added eight points off the bench, and
Talha Aamir chipped in six points and two assists.
The game featured 11 lead changes and seven ties as neither squad was able to pull away early. A three-pointer by Vetter gave Alfred State a 42-41 advantage just over two minutes into the second half, and the Pioneers continued to battle through several momentum swings. After falling behind 57-50 midway through the second half, Alfred State responded with a decisive run led by Vetter's hot shooting.
Back-to-back three-pointers from Vetter turned a one-point deficit into a 68-64 Pioneer lead with 3:28 remaining. Alfred State then closed the contest at the free-throw line, converting key opportunities down the stretch to seal the victory.
As a team, the Pioneers dominated the glass 36-33 and forced 17 Carlow turnovers while committing just nine of their own. Alfred State also held a 15-11 advantage in points off turnovers and received 16 points from its bench.
With the win, Alfred State starts the 2026-27 campaign 1-0 and picks up an encouraging season-opening victory on its home floor. The Pioneers secured their spot in the BSN Tip-Off Tournament championship game tomorrow at 5 pm.
