Saxons Dominate Buffalo State 73-47 in Season Opener
ALFRED, NY – The Alfred University women’s basketball team began its season with a commanding 73-47 victory over buffalo State on Tuesday evening. the Saxons established control early, racing to a 23-4 lead after the first quarter and never looking back.
The win marks the second consecutive victory for Alfred (2-0, 0-0 Empire 8) and a decisive start to the 2023-24 campaign. A dominant performance on both ends of the court, fueled by strong rebounding and ball distribution, propelled the Saxons to victory against the Bengals (0-1, SUNYAC).
Double-Double Performances Lead the Way
natalee Collins (Waterville, NY/Waterville) and Chest each recorded double-doubles for Alfred. Chest led all scorers with 18 points, shooting 6-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from the 3-point line, while also grabbing 10 rebounds. Collins contributed 14 points on 7-of-12 shooting and secured 11 boards. Collins also blocked three Bengal shot attempts.
Libby Benner (Nunda, NY/Keshequa) added 13 points, connecting on 5-of-11 field goals, including 3-of-9 from beyond the arc.Jayda L. Felker (Corning, NY/corning-Painted Post) dished out a career-high eight assists.
Saxons Control the game with Defense and Rebounding
Alfred’s defense stifled Buffalo State, holding them to just 1-of-13 shooting in the first quarter and 0-of-18 from three-point range for the entire game. The Saxons outrebounded the Bengals 56-51 and capitalized on 20 Buffalo State turnovers,scoring 19 points off them. Alfred also held a 36-26 advantage in points in the paint.
“We came out playing some quality basketball on both ends,” head coach Mike Moskowitz said. “We had assists on all eight first-quarter field goals and had five stretches of three straight stops, both of which led to a huge advantage out of the gate. We have to find a way to get back on track and get into a better flow on offense when we get stagnant. On the defensive end, we have to finish possessions as well as we did in the first half. We allowed 15 second half offensive rebounds, which led to a lot of fouls and second chance points. Excited to prep for a tough weekend with this group.”
Looking Ahead
Alfred will next compete in the Crossbar Alfred Classic this weekend, beginning with a game against Bard College on Friday at 5:00 PM at Alfred State College.
