LAVAL, Quebec – In the first meeting between Colgate and Oneonta in over a century, the Raiders, led by
Josh Ahayere's 15 points off the bench, raced to an 85-50 victory, bringing their record to 2-0 at the 2025 Northern Classic.
Ahayere and Andrew Alekseyenko each scored 15, and Jalen Cox scored 12 in the comfortable Colgate victory.
The Raiders shot the ball well on Saturday, going 32-53 (60%) from the field, including 8-17 (47%) from behind the arc. They shot better from the line, finishing 10-12 (83%) on the day. The Raiders also out-rebounded Oneonta 41-25 in the game.
COACH LANGEL'S COMMENTS
"Every game takes on its own identity. Oneonta plays a fast-paced type of game but against us, they played much slower and more deliberate. We didn't have the urgency to adjust as quickly as we needed to. The offense was good throughout the first half. Our defense wasn't where it needed to be, but we got off to a better start and in the second half we were able to open it up. Tomorrow we will face an Atlantic 10 team. In order to find a way to get the result that we want, we'll have to play well and be more consistent for 40 minutes on both ends of the floor."
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a tight matchup early, with both teams trading baskets. For the Raiders, it was Alekseyenko who thrived early, scoring eight of Colgate's first 10 points. Still, Oneonta grabbed an early 11-10 lead after a pair of free throws coming out of the first media timeout.
The timeout came at an opportune time for Colgate, who came out of the break hot. Cox and Ahayere knocked down threes, sparking an 11-0 run that gave the Raiders a 21-11 lead with 10:30 remaining in the first half.
Oneonta refused to go away though, quickly bringing the lead down to six with under nine minutes to go, but another Ahayere triple increased the lead back to 26-17 at the next timeout. The strong offensive performance continued over the next few minutes, but the Red Dragons maintained the pressure, with Colgate holding a 34-26 lead with three minutes left in the half.
Ayahere continued his sterling shooting performance in the final minutes of the half, building the lead to double-digits with his third triple of the game. The opening 20 minutes ended with Colgate leading 41-31, with the Raiders thriving offensively, shooting at a 71 percent clip.
Colgate continued their hot shooting to start the second half, building a 51-35 advantage with 15:28 remaining in the game. Leading the way was Alekseyenko, who reached double-digit scoring with two layups.
As the half progressed, the Raiders asserted their dominance over the Red Dragons, building a 63-38 lead at the 11-minute mark. The lead only continued to grow, as Colgate rode a 10-0 run to go in front by 31 with eight minutes on the clock.
The final eight minutes saw both sides empty their benches, but Colgate held strong with an inexperienced unit running the floor. At the final media timeout, the Raiders led 72-46.
Johnathan Niv, Ethan Brown, Charlie Pugh, and Cameron Brennan each got on the scoresheet, scoring their first points of the season in the final minutes of the game, which ended in an easy 85-50 victory for the Raiders.
GAME NOTES
- With 15 points, Josh Ahayere set a career high. His three triples also tied a career-high.
- Jalen Cox reached six consecutive double-digit scoring games with his 12 points.
- Andrew Alekseyenko added 15 points, his fifth game in double figures over the last six.
- Ayomi Odetoyinbo continued his defensive hot streak, picking up three blocks and seven rebounds off of the bench.
- Cameron Brennan, Charlie Pugh and Jonathan Niv made their season debuts for the Raiders in the win.
- Saturday's game was Colgate's first matchup against Oneonta since the 1921-22 season. Colgate has won both matchups all-time against the Red Dragons.
UP NEXT
The Raiders (4-4) look to complete an undefeated weekend when they face Fordham Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Watch the game here.
