Staff Report / March 2, 2026
In a landmark victory for the program, the Keuka College Athletics men’s basketball team captured its first-ever Empire 8 Conference Championship Saturday, topping the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles 83-80 in a thrilling title game.
The conference crown marks a milestone for the Wolves, who had never before won an Empire 8 men’s basketball title since the league’s tournament began in 2004.
Junior Lamar Lovelace led Keuka (15-13, 9-7 Empire 8) with a game-high 24 points and was named tournament MVP. He was one of four Wolves scoring in double figures, joined by Akinlana Popoola with 17, and both Kaleb Nutifafa and Makya Morrison with 10 each.
Keuka jumped out to an early lead and maintained composure despite a late surge by Brockport. After a tightly contested second half, senior Malik Junious-Fuller sealed the win at the free-throw line with seconds remaining, preserving the three-point edge.
With the triumph, the Wolves secure an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Tournament — the first in school history — and will learn their first-round opponent during the NCAA selection show Monday.
The victory caps a historic run for Keuka, whose program hadn’t previously reached the summit of the Empire 8, traditionally dominated by programs like St. John Fisher.
