ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College men's basketball team will challenge The Sage Gators on Saturday, February 3, to an Empire 8 Conference bout at the Murray Athletic Center as part of the 36th Annual Elmira College Athletics Alumni Weekend. The opening tip-off for the league bout is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m.
CUFFEE CONTINUES TO SHINE
In his junior campaign, Cuffee has really come into his own as a scorer for the Soaring Eagles. After Saturday's contest, the Bel Air, Maryland, native has scored at least 10 points in all but two games all season and has tallied 20-plus points a career-high six times. As a result, Cuffee leads the team in points-per-game average (16.2), having almost doubled his average from his sophomore season. He ranks sixth in the E8 in points per game, in addition to placing second in rebounds per game (8.8). With his skill in both scoring and rebounding, Cuffee has posted nine double-doubles this year, which leads the E8 and is tied for 24th in the country.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday's bout marks just the second all-time meeting between Elmira and Sage, as the January 6 matchup from earlier this year was the first-ever meeting between these two programs. The Gators came out on top of that previous encounter, 98-72, at the Kahl Gymnasium in Albany, New York.
SCOUTING SAGE
After a 4-4 start to the 2017-18 campaign, the Gators have struggled in their first slate of E8 games. In conference play, Sage is 3-7, which dropped its overall record to 8-11. However, things may be looking up for the Gators, as a 91-89 overtime victory over Hartwick in their most recent bout on Tuesday night will give Sage some much needed momentum as the season rolls on. The Gators' strongest attribute is its ability to pull down boards, as they rank second in the conference in rebounds per game (42.7). This performance on the glass is fueled by the team's ability to grab offensive boards, as Sage's E8-leading 16.4 offensive rebounds per game rank eighth in all of Division III. The pair of Barceem Dukes (3.2) and Kevin Lenihan (3.2) lead the Gators on the offensive glass, as they sit among the league's top-three offensive rebounders. Lenihan has been Sage's all-around best post player, as he ranks fifth in the league in rebounds per game (8.2). On offense, the Gators has had to rely on sophomore forward Isaiah Scurry, who leads the team in points per game (14.1). Scurry's improvement from his freshman to his sophomore campaign has been impressive, as he has raised his points-per-game average by almost 13 points.
UP NEXT
The Soaring Eagles return to the road on Tuesday, February 6, when they challenge Hartwick to an Empire 8 Conference showdown. The league bout is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Lambros Arena in Oneonta, New York.
Â
