Elmira College (2-10, 0-3 Empire 8) at Ithaca College (8-4, 2-2 Empire 8)
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 | 6:00 P.M. | Ben Light Gymnasium – Ithaca, NY
Live Coverage | Game Notes
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College men's basketball team will hit the road for the first time in Empire 8 Conference play on Tuesday night when it makes the short trip up Route 13 to face Ithaca College. Tip-off at Ben Light Gymnasium is slated for 6:00 p.m.
 
Last Time Out
Elmira continued to struggle out of the gates in Empire 8 play over the weekend, falling to St. John Fisher College and Nazareth College in a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday at Speidel Gymnasium. The Soaring Eagles hung around all game against the Cardinals, but could not quite close the gap in a 71-58 loss. A 23-to-8 run spanning the conclusion of the first half and opening 1:41 of the second gave Fisher a lead they would not relinquish. The Soaring Eagles were unable to cut the deficit into single-digits again. Saturday's contest was not as competitive. The Golden Flyers shot 58.6-percent from the field in the opening half to take a 16-point lead into the break. The second half was more of the same in the 85-47 loss.
 
Rediscovering the Range
Elmira has been one of the conference's top three-point shooting teams on the year. The Soaring Eagles rank third in the conference with 108 three-point makes this season, while their 36.5-percent shooting from distance is the fourth-best mark in the Empire 8. Elmira is averaging 9.0 made three-pointers per game this season; however, the team has struggled to find the range in its last two conference games. The Soaring Eagles went 10-for-40 (25%) in the pair of losses, which included a season-worst 2-for-17 outing against Nazareth. EC will look to rediscover its shooting range; however, it may have its hands full with Ithaca's Empire 8 leading three-point defense.
 
Harkins Hot Hand
Elmira swing man Hayden Harkins '18 has continued to possess a hot hand from distance this season. Despite suffering a minor injury that caused him to miss a pair of games around New Years weekend, he returned to the lineup over the weekend and continued to make an impact from beyond the arc. Harkins went 4-for-11 (36.3%) from three-point range in the two contests. He ranks second in the conference, shooting 43.9-percent (36-of-82) from beyond the arc.
 
Leonardi Stepping Up
Senior trigger man Gino Leonardi '16 has continued to step up for the Soaring Eagles this season. He has carried the Elmira offense, ranking 10th in league scoring at 16.5 points per game. He broke a career high from earlier this season when he poured in 29 points in the heartbreaking loss to Stevens to open Empire 8 play early last week. He has also been the Soaring Eagles' go-to guy down the stretch of close games, twice nailing late three-pointers to tie games against Endicott and Stevens.
 
All-Time Series: Ithaca
Elmira earned a season split with Ithaca last season, as each team won in each others home gym. Overall, the Bombers hold a 39-22 advantage in the all-time series. The series has been pretty even over recent years, as Ithaca holds just a slight 6-4 edge over the last five seasons. Interestingly, Elmira has won the last two trips to Ben Light Gymnasium.
 
Scouting the Bombers
Ithaca has gotten off to a solid start to its season, entering Tuesday with an 8-4 record, which includes a 2-2 mark in Empire 8 play. The team has split its first two conference series of the year, taking home victories over Stevens and Houghton, while also falling to Nazareth and Alfred. The Bombers boast one of the strongest offenses in the conference, averaging 86.8 points per game. They have exceeded 90 points in five of their contests this season, including a season-high 120 in the win over Stevens. It is a well balanced attack for Ithaca, as all five primary starters average double-figures in scoring. Sophomore guard Marc Chasin paces the group, ranking second in the Empire 8 at 20.6 points per game. Sophomore Joey Flanigan has provided a strong compliment in the backcourt, ranking seventh in league scoring at 17.5 per contest. Senior sharp shooter Sam Bevan is the team's biggest three-point threat with 33 makes and a 15.3 points per game average.
 
Looking Ahead
The Soaring Eagles will continue their road swing in conference play when they head further into Central New York for a pair of contests over the weekend. First, EC will take on Utica College in a 6:00 p.m. tip on Friday, January 15^th. The Purple and Gold will wrap the trip the following afternoon when they take on Hartwick College at 2:00 p.m.