Score: Houghton College 80 – Elmira College 67
Records: Houghton (10-11, 5-8 Empire 8), Elmira (4-18, 2-11 Empire 8)
Location: Speidel Gymnasium – Elmira, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College men's basketball team concluded its home schedule on Tuesday evening when it welcomed Houghton College to Speidel Gymnasium. Unfortunately, EC was unable to string together enough defensive stops, as the Highlanders spoiled the final home game for Elmira's four graduating players 80-67.
 
It was tough shooting start for the Soaring Eagles, as EC struggled to generate quality looks at the bucket. The Highlanders meanwhile made an effort to take the ball to the rim in the early going. Houghton picked up layups on four of its first five possessions to take a 10-4 lead through the opening five minutes of play.
 
EC buckled down its interior defense over the next five minutes to get back into the contest. Gino Leonardi '16 led the comeback charge with six early points to pull Elmira even at the halfway point of the half.
 
The teams traded buckets over the middle portion of the half, as Justin Henderson '16 warmed up his shooting hand. He knocked down a long triple and mid-range jumper on back-to-back possessions to keep the Soaring Eagles level.
 
It was the Highlanders who put together the first prolonged run of the game to gain some separation before the break. With EC leading 21-20, Houghton closed the half on a 13-3 run to lead 33-24 at halftime.
 
Leonardi attempted to whittle away at the Highlander lead with six early points in the second half, but Elmira was unable to sequence enough defensive stops in succession to effectively cut into the deficit. Houghton's Dylan Lambert sent home a thunderous slam off of a fast break to balloon the Highlander lead to 16.
 
With the clock winding under eight minutes to play, Elmira turned to an unlikely source in an effort to stage the comeback. Sparsely used reserve option Paul Bischoff '18 gave EC a spark off the bench, providing all the offense in a 7-0 EC run to cut back within three possessions at 66-58.
 
That was as close as the Soaring Eagles would close down the stretch, as Houghton continued to limit Elmira's three-point game. The Highlanders closed things out at the free-throw line to take the win 80-67.
 
Turning Point
Leonardi knocked down a mid-range jumper to put Elmira up 21-20 with 4:45 remaining in the first half. However, from that point the Highlanders put together a 15-3 run spanning the remainder of the half and the first possession of the second half to grab a double-digit lead. EC would close no closer than six points the rest of the game.  
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira finished 26-for-67 (38.8-percent) from the field in the game.
• The Soaring Eagles went 7-for-21 (33.3-percent) from three-point range in the contest.
• Distance shooting was a struggle for the Soaring Eagles in the opening half, as they were 2-for-10 from beyond the arc during the opening 20 minutes.
• Houghton narrowly out-rebounded Elmira 41-to-35 in for the game.
• The Highlanders held a decisive edge at the charity stripe, going 22-for-28, while Elmira finished 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.
• Elmira finished with 12 assists, while Houghton ended the game with 10.
• The Highlanders had five blocks, while EC posted two denials.
• Both teams finished with eight steals.
• EC committed 12 turnovers in the opening half; it finished with 16 in the game.
• Elmira held a 39-to-19 advantage in bench points.
• Houghton outscored Elmira 44-to-30 in the paint.
• Leonardi was the only Elmira player to score in double-figures with a team-high 19 points.
• Connor Bays '18 had a productive game with seven points and a team-high seven boards.
• Paul Bischoff '18 chipped in seven points off the bench.

 
News and Notes

• With the loss, Elmira falls to 34-7 all-time against Houghton.
• With the loss, EC was swept in the season series between the two programs.
• Henderson went 1-for-3 from beyond the arc to move within seven (121) of tying David Nelson '10 for 10^th on the all-time list (128).
• Bischoff's seven points marked a new career-high.
• Bays equaled his previous career high with seven rebounds.

 
Up Next
Elmira hits the road for a pair of contests in Rochester, NY, over the weekend. Elmira opens the two days of action with a 6:00 p.m. tip at St. John Fisher College on Friday, February 12^th.