Dec. 6: The St. Lawrence University men's basketball team earned a weekend sweep on Saturday behind a 72-52 win over Elmira College in Canton, NY. The Saints, who held a 46-30 rebounding advantage, were led by
Kyle Kobis and
Willie Zachery, who scored 16 and 15 points, respectively.
The Saints move to 4-3 on the season, as rookie
Riley Naclerio added 10 points, six rebounds and three assists while captain
Brady Condlin chipped in a game-high 10 boards. Elmira (2-3), which shot just 31% from the field (18-of-59), was led by Neil Randolph's 11 points.
"I thought we did some really good things defensively and were strong in the paint," said St. Lawrence head coach
Chris Downs. "This was a big win for us, as we're gaining confidence in the way we can play."
St. Lawrence shot 47% from the field and outscored Elmira 34-10 in the paint. Zachery had a game-high six assists and three steals, showcasing his athleticism by driving the lane and scoring or distributing the ball throughout the game. His efforts in the first half, which included 11 points and four assists, helped the home team out to a 37-25 lead. The Soaring Eagles were hampered by a 24-13 disadvantage in rebounds and a 2-for-7 mark at the free throw line.
Randolph would give Elmira a spark early in the second half, knocking down back-to-back three pointers in the opening minutes to cut the visitors' deficit in half and force Coach Downs to use a timeout. However, the break settled St. Lawrence back into the game, as they ran off a 17-6 run over a 5:30 span.
Marty Collins, Kobis and
Kieran Miller all had three pointers in the stretch, while
Leondre Simmon and Naclerio were sharp as the Saints seized control up 54-37.
Free throws by Zachery gave the Saints their largest lead at 22 with 6:49 remaining and Elmira would not threaten again as the home team posted its largest margin of victory this season at 72-52.
St. Lawrence will play its final contest of the 2014 calendar year next Friday, December 12 at SUNY Potsdam. The Saints and Bears will get underway at 7:00pm.
