Box Score

Purchase, NY (Jan. 24, 2013) – The Purchase College men's basketball team has been plagued by poor starts for a better portion of the season, despite a terrific 12-3 record coming into Thursday night's game against Yeshiva University.

But the Panthers (13-3, 7-3 Skyline Conference) wouldn't allow the same start tonight that doomed them at Mount Saint Mary last time out – a road loss against the Knights that dropped them into fourth place in the league standings.

Instead, Purchase rebounded nicely, showcasing one of its better first-half performances of the season against YU – a longtime Skyline rival that has – at times – been a nemesis in conference. The Panthers topped Yeshiva 75-44, defeating the Maccabees for the second time this season.

Head coach Jeff Charney decided on a different starting lineup, going instead with a new backcourt against the Macs. Charney opted to start second-half transfer and newcomer Ryan Lobban (JR/Bronx, NY) and standout reserve Amar Reynolds (SR/Bronx, NY), who came off the bench and scored a game-high 10 first-half points (sharing the lead with YU's Gil Bash). Lobban added eight first-half points.

But it was seldom-used sharp-shooter, Christian Ferri (SO/Staten Island, NY), who has battled injury during the season and fought hard to crack the rotation. Ferri had a huge first half Thursday night. He scored nine points off the bench, causing YU fits. Ferri connected on three 3-pointers in the opening stanza.

The Maccabees opened up 3-0, netting an early perimeter shot. A see-saw scored ensued with the Macs tying the game 9-9 before Purchase opened an 18-13 lead and eventually a 40-30 margin at the break, although YU was keeping pace in the shooting department, especially from beyond the arc. The Macs shot 46.2 percent for the first half and Purchase shot slightly better, 46.7 percent.

Yet, as usual, the second half belonged to Purchase. The Panthers shot an astounding 59.1 percent from the field over the final 20 minutes, limiting YU to 26.9 percent (7 of 26). In the process, the Macs scored only 14 second-half points.

Both teams would empty the bench in the final 10 minutes of the game.

Purchase outscored YU 35-14 in the second half and coasted to another league win, keeping pace in the conference standings. Three players finished in double figures for the Panthers, including Reynolds (10 points), Joel Neri (SO/Port Chester, NY) (10 points) and David Haughton (JR/Greenburgh, NY) (10 points). Dan Odiase (JR/Bronx, NY) and Andre Nixon (JR/Harlem, NY) came off the bench and chipped in six points apiece, and Allan Forbes (SR/Bronx, NY) and Craig Davis (SR/Queens, NY) contributed five points apiece as part of the second unit.

Purchase also won the rebounding edge, 34-20, with Haughton nabbing a game-high seven in 19 minutes of action.

YU (7-8, 4-5 Skyline) was paced by Gil Bash and his 12 points. He was the lone scorer in double figures for the Macs.

Purchase returns to action Saturday at Old Westbury.