Box Score
Purchase, NY (Nov. 26, 2013) – Saying that career win No. 100 for Purchase College men's basketball head coach Jeff Charney didn't come easy is an understatement.
"I almost thought it might get away from us," said an elated Charney following Purchase's 98-90 double overtime victory against SUNY Brockport Tuesday night at home, a proverbial see-saw battle that needed two extra frames to decide. "It turned into a great win and a perfect way for us to go into the Thanksgiving break."
The Panthers had plenty to be thankful for on Tuesday night, starting with a brief ceremonious celebration to honor last year's championship team, which went 22-6 overall and earned its third trip to the Division III NCAA Tournament in four years after reaching the conference title game four straight times and winning three of four league crowns under Charney's guidance.
Sports Information Director Bobby Ciafardini played the role of Master of Ceremonies during a pre-game ring ceremony, which honored members of the 2012-13 team, the returning members of the squad this year, the coaching staff and members of the program's administration, including Athletic Director Chris Bisignano. A large crowd arrived at Purchase on a night when many students had already departed for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The brief ceremony set the stage for a double OT thriller, and Charney's 100th win in five seasons and five games, as the Panthers improved to 5-0 to kick start the year. The loss dropped Brockport, a strong non-conference opponent, to 1-1.
Purchase led 34-33 after one half and the game was tied 74-74 at the end of regulation. Panther captain David Haughton (SR/Greenburgh, NY) hit a game-tying free throw at the end of regulation. With a few seconds to spare, Brockport managed a jumper, but the shot was short and the game went into its first OT.
The score was tied six times and the lead changed hands nine times over the final 20 minutes.
In the extra session, the score was tied twice and the lead changed over once, highlighted by a Matt Lee basket by Brockport that forced the second OT. A pair of free throws by Andre Nixon (JR/Harlem, NY) had given the Panthers a two-point margin with 1:15 to go, but a turnover paved the way for the Golden Eagles to tie it up and force another five minutes of action.
That's where Purchase pulled away. The score was tied again twice in the final stanza, but the lead changed hands twice, including three key moments in the frame, highlighted by free throws from Nixon, a key jumper from Haughton and a fast-break finish by Justin Person (JR/Greenburgh, NY). Person pushed the lead to nine, 97-88, and the Panthers never looked back. Nixon hit two from the charity stripe with 2:50 left that made the score 89-86 Purchase and his free throw at 1:33 gave the Panthers a 92-86 margin.
Haughton loomed large, connecting on a timely hoop at 2:03 of the double OT for a five-point lead (91-86).
For the game, Haughton recorded a double-double, notching 10 points and a game-high 20 rebounds. The high scorer for Purchase and the game was Nixon, who finished the night with 26. Reserve guard Troy Singleton (JR/Queens, NY) was key off the bench, scoring an impressive 23 points. Person, who played a game-high 46 minutes, added 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Creig Graves (SO/Harlem, NY) and Joel Neri (JR/Port Chester, NY) also played well for the Panthers.
In the loss, Brockport was led by John Ivy and Brandon Caruthers, its backcourt combo, who finished with 29 and 23 points, respectively.
Purchase returns to action on Wednesday, Dec. 4 as the Panthers open their conference schedule at the College of Mount Saint Vincent.
