Box Score

Purchase, NY (Jan. 9, 2013) – It was a furious comeback, but one that came up a bit short.

Down by 20 points with 14 minutes left in the game, the Purchase College women's basketball team fought their way all the way back tie the game at the buzzer of regulation, but lost in overtime to SUNY College at Old Westbury, 74-70. The game was played at Purchase as part of a doubleheader with the men's team.

Purchase slipped to 6-8 overall and 1-3 in the Skyline Conference, while Old Westbury evened its overall record at 6-6 and its Skyline record at 2-2.

Purchase went out to a quick 7-1 lead in the game's first five minutes, but Old Westbury came back quickly, taking a 14-13 lead midway through the half at 10:18. The game see-sawed until Old Westbury went on a 34-10 run during the final eight minutes of the half to take a 41-27 lead into the locker room, powered by several  inside "and-one" three-point opportunities, mostly  junior forward DeAndra Scott, who scored 22 of her 33 points in the first stanza. She also added 18 boards to her credit by night's end.

During the first half, Old Westbury shot 45.7%, while Purchase was a cold 25.8%.

The second half was a different story for both teams. After finding itself down by 20, the Panthers battled back slowly, shaving the Old Westbury lead minute-by-minute on a balanced attack.

Down 10 (60-50) with 4:51 to go, Purchase went on a 11-0 run to go up by one at 61-60 with 1:56 to go on a jumper by Lineker St.Hilaire (SO/Wyandanch, NY).

Old Westbury center Raven Price scored on a layup to go up 63-62 with 1:37 to go, then with 14 seconds to go Clarissa Gallagher hit a free throw to put Old Westbury up by two. 

But at the buzzer of regulation time, Purchase guard Jeidar Cole (SO/Bronx, NY) hit a jumper from the left elbow to take the game into overtime.

In overtime, despite having the lead by one at 70-60 with just over a minute to go, Purchase couldn't overcome losing – due to foul-outs – stalwarts Talia Beaulieu (SR/Waldorf, MD) and Jess Lindsay (JR/Rochester, NY) and were outscored 4-0 in the last minute to fall the final of 74-70.

For Purchase, freshman Elizabeth Osowiecki (FR/Franklin Square, NY) was the Panthers' leading scored with 12 points. She also had nine rebounds. 

Lindsay had 11 points and nine boards, while Alexis Billups (SR/Chester, NY) had 11 points and St.Hilaire chipped in with 10 points.
On the night, Purchase shot 31.1% from the floor while Old Westbury shot at a 38.8% rate.

Purchase continues its three-game home stand Saturday when it hosts The Sage Colleges of Albany at 1 p.m.