Albany, N.Y. - The Elmira College Men's Basketball team traveled to Albany for a conference matchup with the Gators of Russell Sage College on Friday evening. The comeback attempt by the Soaring Eagles fell just short as Russell Sage held on for the victory, 80-77.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY
The Gators opened the scoring with a layup. JJ Babcock got EC on the board with a three-pointer. Babcock scored the first seven points for Elmira, but EC still trailed 14-7. Russell Sage added to the advantage with a 9-3 run. Carter Seeberger made a three-pointer for Elmira to halt the momentum. Babcock and Tyler Cardello made layups on a 6-0 run for the Soaring Eagles. Kelton Brown scored six points during an 8-0 run for Elmira that brought it to a one-point game. Babcock added another layup as part of a 13-point first half for him. Cardello added a pair of free throws with a minute left to pull Elmira within four. Despite the strong start from Babcock, Elmira still trailed 32-28 at the end of the first half.
 
The Gators opened the second half on a 6-0 scoring run. Alec Mercer hit a three and Cardello made a layup to put momentum back in Elmira's favor. Russell Sage went on a 9-0 scoring run as they pulled a bit away from EC. The Soaring Eagles made three consecutive three-pointers, as Mercer, Seeberger, and Brown were all able to hit from beyond the arc. Seeberger hit another three, one of four on the day for him, to pull the deficit down to three points. The Gators went on another 9-0 run as Elmira was just able to quite capture the lead. Daemon Thomas made a layup, part of a 6-0 EC run, that cut the lead to four with four minutes remaining. Cardello made a layup with the foul that cut the deficit to just two points. Free throws were traded back and forth the rest of the way. The buzzer sounding with the Soaring Eagles falling just short in the comeback, 80-77.

LEADERS
Offensively, Cardello led with 23 points and grabbed ten rebounds, recording a double-double. Babcock also got a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. Seeberger scored 12 points, including four three-pointers. Mercer recorded 12 points and was perfect from the free throw line.

UP NEXT
The Soaring Eagles travel to Hartwick College for a conference matchup with the Hawks on Saturday February 7th. Tip-off is set for 4pm.