Alfred, NY — The Alfred State men's basketball team captured a hard-fought 62-55 victory over crosstown rival Alfred University at the Orvis Activities Center. With a strong first-half effort and an aggressive defensive performance, the Pioneers improved to 2-0 on the season.
The Pioneers set the tone early, opening with a 5-0 run with a layup by
Kennyh Hardeman and a three-pointer from
Eli Taft. Alfred University responded to take the lead, but Alfred State soon found its rhythm offensively.
Will Vetter knocked down a pair of three-pointers, while Hardeman and
Walter Pierre-Louis Jr. created opportunities inside. The Pioneers carried a 29-24 lead into halftime.
Alfred State carried its momentum into the second half, quickly extending the lead. A layup from Taft followed by a fast-break finish from Pierre-Louis pushed the advantage to 33-24. Vetter added another three-pointer in transition, helping the Pioneers build a 45-33 lead with 13:35 remaining.
The Pioneers maintained control through defensive pressure and key contributions from their bench. Hardeman provided a strong presence on both ends of the floor, while
Ziquan Roe anchored the defense with a game-high five blocks.
Nate Fortman added a pair of three-pointers off the bench as Alfred State built its largest lead of the evening at 55-39 with just under nine minutes remaining.
Alfred University made a late push, cutting the deficit to four points, 57-53, with 47 seconds left. However, Alfred State stayed composed at the free-throw line.
Markus Robinson converted four key free throws down the stretch, and Hardeman sealed the victory with a fast-break dunk off a pass from Robinson with 12 seconds remaining.
Pierre-Louis led the Pioneers with 16 points, six rebounds, and two steals. Hardeman added 13 points and eight rebounds while recording three steals and a blocked shot. Vetter finished with 11 points and three three-pointers, while Roe contributed five points, seven rebounds, two steals, and his game-high five blocks.
Alfred State also had help from its bench with Fortman finishing with six points, connecting on both of his three-point attempts, while Robinson added three points, three assists, and two steals. Taft chipped in five points and two assists, and
Talha Aamir added three points.
Defensively, the Pioneers recorded 10 steals and seven blocked shots while forcing 19 Alfred University turnovers. Alfred State converted those mistakes into 14 points and held a 15-12 advantage in fast-break scoring. The Pioneers also connected on eight three-pointers, shooting 53.3 percent from beyond the arc.
With the victory, Alfred State improves to 2-0 on the season and claims the Alfred Cup with the rivalry win over Alfred University. The Pioneers return to the Orvis Activities Center on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when they host the Highlanders of Houghton University for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
