HOUGHTON, NY – The SUNY Brockport men's basketball team snapped a five-game slide in emphatic fashion on Friday night, storming back in the second half to secure a 75-68 road victory over Houghton University. Relying on a relentless defensive effort and a dominant presence in the paint, the Golden Eagles (6-10, 2-5 E8) outscored the Highlanders by 17 in the final 20 minutes to earn the conference win.

How It Happened

The contest began as a back-and-forth affair in the opening ten minutes, but the Highlanders found their rhythm late in the first half. Houghton utilized a hot-shooting start, connecting on 53.57% from the floor and 50.0% from beyond the arc to take a 43-33 lead into the locker room. The deficit grew to as many as 12 points just 90 seconds into the second half, the largest lead of the night, but the Green and Gold refused to go away.

Brockport emerged for the second period with a heightened sense of defensive urgency. The Golden Eagles completely neutralized the Highlander attack, holding them to just 25 points in the half on 36.84% shooting, including a stifling 11.11% shooting from deep.

The momentum shifted midway through the frame. Following a strong drive and finish by Pharell Aybar, Camron Dyer ignited the Brockport bench with an emphatic fast-break dunk at the 10:52 mark, punctuating a surge that gave the Golden Eagles a four-point cushion. Brockport's transition defense was clinical all night, limiting Houghton to just two fast-break points.

The Golden Eagles were a constant nuisance in the passing lanes and on-ball. Brockport recorded 18 steals as a team compared to just six for the Highlanders, leading to 28 points converted off turnovers. The Green and Gold also owned the interior, outscoring the Highlanders 52-28 in points in the paint.

With 42 seconds remaining and the game hanging in the balance, Omar White delivered the dagger. White poked the ball loose for a clutch steal and took it the length of the floor for a thunderous dunk to seal the victory.

Individual Standouts

Omar White was a defensive maestro, nearly recording his second double-double of the season featuring steals. White turned in a masterclass performance on both ends, finishing with 15 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting, while adding six assists, eight steals, and three rebounds. His eight-steal night, serving as his second game this season with 7+ steals, cemented his place as the team leader in total steals and steals per game (2.1).

In his first start of the season, Cameron Pownall made an immediate impact as a scoring threat in the low post. Pownall helped carry the Golden Eagles past the finish line with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while protecting the rim with a team-high three blocks.

Jacob Oka continues to provide consistent production on both ends of the floor Oka tallied 12 points on a 4-of-6 shooting performance, while chipping in four rebounds and three steals to fuel the defensive effort.

Ajani Flemming provided the outside spark, knocking down a game-high three triples on his way to an 11-point night. Flemming filled the stat sheet elsewhere, matching Jack Clancy for a team-high five rebounds while adding three assists and two steals.

Camron Dyer and Pharell Aybar were pivotal in the second-half surge, combining for 16 points and delivering the high-energy plays that swung the momentum permanently in favor of the Green and Gold.

Up Next: The Golden Eagles will look to carry this momentum through the weekend as they continue their road trip. Brockport heads to Alfred, NY, for a matchup against Alfred University on Saturday, January 24th. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.