Box Score

ALFRED, N.Y. – The Ithaca College men's basketball team (11-4, 6-1 Empire 8) defeated host Alfred (4-12, 1-6 Empire 8), 74-64, on Saturday afternoon.

Ithaca used a 13-2 streak to open the game, never looking back. The Saxons made it a one-possession game at 5:51, but the Bombers would take a 35-27 edge into the locker room at the half. At 16:27 of the second, Ithaca secured a double-digit lead. The Saxons cut within nine at 8:33, but eight unanswered powered the Bombers ahead, 68-51. Ithaca went on to claim its sixth Empire 8 victory with a 74-64 final.

Senior Travis Warech led all players with a double-double of 25 points and 13 rebounds, his third of the season. Classmates Andrei Oztemel and Eli Maravich drained 16 and 13 points, respectively. Senior Sean Rossi dished out seven assists and pulled down six rebounds.

An Oztemel three opened all scoring giving the Bombers an indefinite lead at 19:31. Ithaca secured an 18-4 gap at 12:22, but the Saxons used a 12-2 streak to cut with four at 7:14, forcing a Bomber timeout. An Alfred three brought the host squad within two at 5:51. Ithaca, who scored 14 points off turnovers in the first frame, tallied 11 of the final 16 points to lead 35-27 at the break.

The Bombers controlled play in the second, securing a 55-39 lead at the 12-minute mark. The Saxons twice cut within nine, but Oztemel and Warech combined for eight straight for a 17-point advantage at 7:31. Alfred recorded six unanswered in the final two minutes, but Oztemel went 2-for-2 at the line to finalize all scoring, 74-64.

Ithaca shot a perfect 50 percent from the floor, while the Saxons converted on 41.8 percent of their shots. The Bombers also owned the rebound count, 34-27.

Ithaca returns to action on Friday, Jan. 25 against Stevens Institute of Technology at 8 p.m. in Ben Light Gymnasium.