Brockport, NY – Following two dominant victories to open the new year, the SUNY Brockport men's basketball team is preparing for a pivotal weekend of Empire 8 action. The Golden Eagles will continue their conference slate at the Jim and John Vlogianitis Gymnasium, hosting St. John Fisher University on Friday, January 9th at 4 p.m., followed by a pivotal conference showdown against Nazareth University on Saturday, January 10th at 4 p.m. Brockport currently holds a perfect 3-0 record at The Vlog and looks to extend their home winning streak as they navigate this back-to-back weekend.
Protecting the Nest
The Golden Eagles (5-5, 1-0) enter the weekend with serious wind in their sails after a gritty 83-71 win over Elmira to open conference play. Brockport's identity was on full display as their "defensive havoc" unit matched a season-high with 17 steals, turning 26 forced turnovers into a transition clinic. By the final buzzer, the Green and Gold had effectively turned defense into instant offense, accounting for 23 points off turnovers and 20 on the fast break.
What stood out most in the victory was the roster's depth and second-half poise. After a tightly contested first period, the Golden Eagles found their rhythm, shooting nearly 46% from the floor in the closing half to pull away. The box score reflected a true "by committee" approach, as six different players reached double figures.
Jack Clancy and
Omar White (13 points each) set the tone, while
Pharell Aybar proved to be the team's Swiss Army knife, racking up 13 points, seven boards, and four steals. With
Marco Evans,
Camron Dyer, and Amica all chipping in double-digit performances, Brockport heads into this pair of matchups with arguably one of the most balanced scoring threats in the Empire 8.
Scouting the Cardinals
St. John Fisher enters Friday's matchup with a 5-5 overall record and a 1-0 mark in Empire 8 play. The Cardinals are coming off a convincing 67-49 victory over Alfred University to open their conference schedule, relying on a disciplined defensive effort to secure the win.
Brockport has held the upper hand in the series recently, winning the last two head-to-head matchups. During last season's transition to the Empire 8, the Golden Eagles secured a dominant 96-80 victory over the Cardinals on February 8th, 2025. To move to 2-0 in the E8, the Green and Gold will look to utilize their signature perimeter pressure to disrupt the Cardinals' offensive flow and prevent them from finding a rhythm in the half-court.
Scouting the Golden Flyers
On Saturday, the focus shifts to the current #1 seed in the Empire 8: Nazareth University. The Golden Flyers sit at 7-4 overall with a perfect 2-0 conference record. They opened their league slate with a 90-56 blowout of Alfred University in December and most recently handled Houghton University in a 79-61 win.
The recent history between these two programs suggests another tightly contested battle is on the horizon. In their first Empire 8 meeting on February 7th, 2025, Brockport secured a nail-biting 86-85 victory. This weekend, the Golden Eagles look to secure another statement win against the conference front runners and establish their place at the top of the standings.
Up Next: Following the conclusion of this weekend's home stand, the Golden Eagles will hit the road to continue conference play. Brockport will travel to Keuka Park, NY, to take on Keuka College on Tuesday, January 13th. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m.
