Box Score

TROY, N.Y. – Five players scored in double-figures for the Sage College men's basketball team in a, 94-89, come-from-behind victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this evening at East Campus Arena. With the win, the Gators improve to 2-1 on the season, while the Engineers drop to 1-2.

Trailing by as many as 17 points with 12:22 left in the second half, the Gators got into the paint to cut into the RPI advantage.  A 12-0 run trimmed the Gators deficit to 68-63 with 9:31 left in the contest. Junior Mason Horne (Albany, NY/LaSalle Institute) then pulled the visitors to within 70-65 with a driving lay-up with 9:04 on the clock.

RPI sophomore Nate Fiala (Willoughby, OH/Gilmour Academy) hit two from the line to extend the lead back to seven (72-65), but the Gators came storming back to draw with 72-71 on close-range bucket by freshman Melvin Ford (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional).

Horne put the visitors ahead for the first time (79-78) with 4:52 remaining. A lay-up from senior Matt Farbotko (Rouses Point, NY/Northeastern Clinton) then made it a three-point game.

Rensselaer junior Nick Keefe (Rensselaer, NY/Columbia) drew the hosts even at 81-81 with 3:41 to go, but the Gators snatched the lead right back on the following possession, as Ford was able hit to two from the free throw line.

Sage didn't surrender the lead for the rest of the night, despite two late-three pointers from RPI senior Jamie Zajac (Merrimack, NH/Bishop Guertin). Both triples pulled the Engineers to within four points, including one with nine seconds left, but they did not get any closer.

Farbotko finished with a game-high 28 points, while Horne and senior Ryan Sager (Stuyvesant, NY/Ichabod Crane) each had double-doubles. Horne had 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Sager ended up with 14 and 15 boards.

Rensselaer was led by senior Brendan Farley (Burlington, VT/Burlington), who had 14 points, including nine in the first half. Fiala had 13 points, while freshman Tyler Gendron (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) finished with 11.

The Engineers are back in action this Sunday, when they host Berkeley College (4pm) at East Campus Arena. Sage hosts Bard next Tuesday (8pm).