Chad Lauer added 12 points as the Crusaders (1-0) connected on 7-of-15 shots from beyond the three-point line in the opening half to take a 43-24 lead at halftime, then finished the game on a 14-4 run after the Soaring Eagles (0-1) had pulled within 55-44 with 9:29 remaining.
Charles Henry led Elmira with 22 points while Micah Owens contributed 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for the Soaring Eagles, who shot just 32.6 percent from the field in the game and committed 21 turnovers. The Crusaders have held 27 straight opponents to under 50 percent shooting from the field.
Four Crusaders finished in double figures in all, as T.J. Parry added a career-high 11 points and six assists in his first career start at the point and freshman Mike Malko contributed 10 points in his first collegiate game.
The Crusaders also took good care of the basketball with just eight turnovers in the contest, and finished the game shooting 43.1 percent from the field on 28-of-65 shooting in winning their season opener for the fifth consecutive season.
With the win, Susquehanna will face King's in Saturday's championship game after the Monarchs held off Staten Island 79-77 in the opening game of the tourney earlier in the evening behind 21 points from Marty O'Hora.
Susquehanna scored the game's first seven points and led 19-4 on a layup by Matt Effler with 12:56 left in the first half, eventually extending their advantage to 38-16 on a three-pointer by Rob Dombroski with 4:05 remaining in the half.
In the second half, Elmira fought back with a 13-2 run after trailing 53-31 with 14:49 left, but the Crusaders regained control on a Dombroski basket and a three-point play by Lauer with 6:58 left to take a 60-44 lead.
Mills shot 7-for-11 from the field and added two assists and two steals in 33 minutes of action for the Crusaders, while Dombroski led Crusader reserves with eight points and four boards in 18 minutes.
ELMIRA (0-1) Charles Henry 6-11 6-7 22; Micah Owens 4-11 4-4 12; Matt Keating 3-8 0-0 6; Matt O'Brien 1-2 1-2 3; Andy Frica 1-4 0-0 2; Nick Molak 0-2 2-2 2; Albert Davis 0-8 1-4 1; Conroy Hunter 0-0 0-0 0; Ryan Gilmour 0-0 0-0 0; Kevin Barry 0-0 0-0 0; Shannon Harmon 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 15-46 14-19 48. SUSQUEHANNA (1-0) Bubba Mills 7-11 0-1 14; Chad Lauer 4-10 2-3 12; T.J. Parry 3-4 4-5 11; Mike Malko 4-19 0-0 10; Rob Dombroski 3-7 0-0 8; Walter Fowler 3-4 0-1 6; Moose Marshall 2-5 0-0 4; Matt Effler 2-3 0-0 4; Mark Prusch 0-1 0-0 0; Davon Glover 0-1 0-0 0; Kyle Laird 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 28-65 6-10 69. Elmira........................ 24 24 - 48 Susquehanna................... 43 26 - 69 3-point goals-Elmira 4-15 (Charles Henry 4-6; Matt Keating 0-2; Matt O'Brien 0-1; Nick Molak 0-1; Albert Davis 0-5), Susquehanna 7-24 (Chad Lauer 2-7; Rob Dombroski 2-3; Mike Malko 2-12; T.J. Parry 1-1; Moose Marshall 0-1). Fouled out--Elmira-None, Susquehanna-None. Rebounds-Elmira 39 (Micah Owens 15), Susquehanna 35 (Bubba Mills 8). Assists-Elmira 9 (Matt O'Brien 3), Susquehanna 15 (T.J. Parry 6). Total fouls-Elmira 16, Susquehanna 18. A-350