The Keuka College Men’s Basketball team lost their Empire 8 Conference opener on Tuesday night, falling 67-43 to Russell Sage College at the JMW Recreation and Athletics Center.
Akinlana Popoola (Cleveland, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) led Keuka College (3-6, 0-1 Empire 8) with 18 points.
Russell Sage College 67 at Keuka College 43
Keuka College opened the scoring as Akinlana Popoola drained a three-pointer three minutes into the game. It was a physical start to the contest with both teams’ defenses standing supreme. The game was tied at 7-7 with 14 minutes left in the half. Damon Brumfield (Rochester, N.Y. / Irondequoit) answered a Russell Sage three to reknot the game at 10-10. The Gators responded with five straight to take the lead. Another Brumfield three cut into the lead and a triple by Popoola gave the Wolves an 18-17 lead, forcing Russell Sage to use a timeout with 6:46 left in the first. The Gators took advantage of the break and outscored Keuka College 13-4 over the final stretch to lead 30-22 at the break.
Russell Sage extended their lead to 38-24 in the opening minutes of the second half. The Wolves attempted to stay in the game. A three-point play by Quinn VanKerkhove (Irondequoit, N.Y. / Irondequoit) cut it back to a ten-point game, 40-30, with 15 minutes left to play. However, that would be as close as the Wolves would make it. Popoola hit another three for the Wolves to snap a 6-0 Gators run, but Russell Sage would widen their lead throughout the back half of the second half. The visiting Gators would defeat the Wolves 67-43 on Tuesday night.
KC Notes:
- Keuka College had a five-game winning streak against Russell Sage College snapped. The Wolves are still 6-3 all-time against the Gators
- Will Tehan (Victor, N.Y. / Victor) and Amar Jackson (Brooklyn, N.Y. / Frederick Douglas Academy) led the Wolves with five rebounds apiece, however Russell Sage College had a +10 advantage on the boards
- The Wolves shot a season-low 27.6% from the floor on Tuesday
- Popoola finished with five steals in the game to set a new career high
Up Next for Keuka College: Tuesday was the first Empire 8 game of the schedule for the Wolves and the conference play continues with three straight road games over the next week. The stretch of games away from Keuka College begins this Friday as the Wolves travel to Houghton University to face the Highlanders.
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