Box Score
Updated NCAA DIII Bracket
Purchase, NY
(Mar. 7, 2014) – The Purchase College men's basketball team took its first steps toward a National Championship Friday night at home, taking down Hartwick College handily, 97-71.
In the process, the No. 15-ranked Panthers will now face No. 13 Albertus Magnus in Saturday night's championship game of the first/second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament. Albertus Magnus defeated WPI in Friday's opener to advance to Saturday's finale.
Purchase, which defeated Hartwick in the 2011 tournament, won its second NCAA Tournament game during the
Jeff Charney era. The Panthers, back-to-back Skyline Conference champions and winners of four of the last five league crowns, have made four of five "March Madness" appearances. A victory on Saturday will advance either Albertus Magnus or Purchase to the "Sweet 16."
The Panthers skated to victory Friday night. They shot 61.1 percent for the game, including 66.7 for the second half after leaping out to a comfortable 46-34 margin at the break. Although the score was tied twice throughout, Purchase navigated around some early jitters to march into the tournament's second round.
Before a near capcity crowd, the Panthers were paced by Skyline Player of the Year
Andre Nixon (SR/Harlem, NY). The senior guard scored a game-high 28 points. He addwed three rebounds and shared the game-high for steals (4) with
Justin Person (JR/Greenburgh, NY). Person added 11 points, seven assists and five boards, turning in another impressive all-around performance.
Skyline Championship Most Outstanding Player
David Haughton (SR/Greenburgh, NY) picked up where he left off in the conference final, totaling 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds in the NCAA Tournament's opener. Center
Joel Neri (JR/Port Chester, NY) was equally strong, depositing 18 points over 26 minutes, while reserve point guard
Jake Stevens III (SR/Brooklyn, NY) once again showed his value off the bench. He added 17 points, including an impressive 9 of 11 showing from the charity stripe. Stevens even included a highlight-reel layup late in the second half, earning the continuation foul to boot.
With Stevens sparking the Panthers off the bench, Purchase outscored Hartwick 20-14 off the pine. The Panthers also scored 26 points off turnovers, sealing the program's second-ever NCAA game.
