WASHINGTON - Earlier this week the Gallaudet University men's basketball team took down the top team in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) in Penn St. Harrisburg, who is the top team in the South Division. On Saturday, Gallaudet had the chance to take down the top NEAC school in the North Division but at the end of the game it was SUNY Morrisville who celebrated an 81-65 victory to spoil GU's Alumni Madness Day in the Field House. 

Gallaudet (5-17, 5-8 NEAC) scored its average of 65 points as it held a slim lead early in the contest. SUNY Morrisville (14-8, 11-2 NEAC) broke open a 20-20 game with a 12-3 run as the visitors led 32-23 with five and a half minutes left before intermission. The Mustangs took a 44-29 lead into the locker rooms. 

The Bison were decked out in classic Gallaudet throwback uniforms from several decades back thanks to Route 66 promotions as the Gallaudet basketball programs welcomed back many alumni for the weekend celebration.

In the second half, Gallaudet cut the lead down to five points, 46-41, five minutes in. SUNY Morrisville responded with another run as the Mustangs outscored the Bison, 16-2, in an eight-minute span. 

Senior guard Noah Valencia (Riverside, Calif.) scored a team-high 25 points as he made five 3-pointers. He completed his second double-double of the season with 10 rebounds. Two other Bison recorded double figures as senior center Steve Valencia-Biskupiak (Riverside, Calif.) and sophomore forward Matt Sherman (Angora, Minn.) scored 10 points each. 

SUNY Morrisville received a career-high from Rahmell Smith off the bench as he scored a game-high 30 points to go with seven rebounds. Reigning NEAC Player of the Year Kevin Dennis got in foul trouble early and was limited to 16 minutes as he scored 14 points before he fouled out in the second half.

BISON TRACKS

• Junior guard Preston Kelly (Fishers, Ind.) scored nine points
• GU scored 24 points in the paint
• The Mustangs scored 25 points off 18 Bison turnovers
• Morrisville led for over 35 minutes
• The game was tied six times and featured two lead changes
• Gallaudet made at least nine 3-pointers for a third straight game and ninth time this season
• GU is now 2-8 in the Field House this season
• This was SUNY Morrisville's first appearance in the Field House since Feb. 25, 2017, when the Bison hosted the NEAC tournament and met the Mustangs in the semifinals

UP NEXT
Gallaudet will close out the home regular-season schedule on Tuesday, Feb. 18, at home against Penn College (6-16, 4-9 NEAC). This game will mark Senior Night for the Bison. Both GU and Penn College will be competing for a NEAC South Division playoff spot as the winner should secure the third seed in the division standings. The two teams are 4-5 in South Division play.