Purchase, NY (Dec. 8, 2015) – Farmingdale State defeated Purchase 79-52 tonight.

The Rams collected their first conference win in the process, improving to 1-6 overall and 1-2 in the league standings. Purchase is now 3-6 on the season, including 1-3 in the Skyline Conference.

Despite a valiant effort in the second half, another slow start and early double-figure deficit was too much for the Panthers to overcome.

Purchase, which trailed by 12 at intermission, scored the first basket after the break – a Nicholas Jackson (SR/Brooklyn, NY) steal and fast break to close back within 10.

But FSC, as it had done all night, went on another run, reeling off five straight following the Jackson score for a 36-21 lead three minutes into the period.

Panther head coach Kyle Martin inserted sharp shooter Kalyn Credle (JR/Queens, NY), who came off the bench and immediately connected on a 3-pointer.   

The hosts heated up from beyond the arc to get back in the game.

Guard Creig Graves (SR/Harlem, NY) drilled a 3-pointer from the wing and was fouled on the play. He went to the charity stripe and connected on the free throw for a four-point play, closing the deficit to nine, 37-28 at 16:15.  

Purchase's second unit, which included Brandon Sillaro (SR/Patchogue, NY), Isaiah Williams (JR/Bronx, NY), newcomer Mezu Agwu (FR/Pomana, NY), Graves and Credle provided a much-needed spark after halftime.  

At 14:39, Credle sunk a baseline jumper and was fouled. He converted the conventional style three-point play. FSC now led 39-32 under 15 minutes.  

The Rams regrouped and answered with five straight for a 44-32 lead at 13:02. Two free throws from Trey Kinard made it 46-32.

But Purchase once again showed its mettle, with Graves ripping off five straight points of his own, including another 3-pointer.  

The Panthers traded 3s and scores on the next two possessions and were down 51-39 at 9:52.

Graves got hot and buried a top-of-the-key 3 to bring Purchase back, 51-42.

The Rams answered with a 9-0 run and now led 60-42 at 6:17 – their largest lead of the night and one they would not relinquish.

FSC pushed it further to 20 at 5:28 in the second half, and held a 67-53 lead at 2:30 en route to sealing the victory.  

In the end, the first-half deficit was too much for Purchase to overcome over the final 20 minutes.  

At the outset, it was a slow start for both teams. The Rams held a 2-0 advantage at 16:46 before Purchase went 1 of 2 from the free-throw line.

The Rams extended that lead on a layup right after the made free throw by Jackson. Shortly later, FSC's Eddie Kinloch then made it 6-1 on another score around the rim.

Joel Neri (SR/Port Chester, NY) cut it back to three on a basket in the paint around 13 minutes in the first. Jackson followed with a layup to make it 6-5, but FSC would counter with a two-point score (8-5), prompting a timeout from Purchase at 12:00.

Out of the T.O., the Panthers responded by tying the game, 8-8, on a 3-pointer from Jose Reyes (SR/Bronx, NY).

Taylor Foster (SR/Greenburgh, NY) handed Purchase its first lead of the night at 10:02 on a fade, but FSC answered right away, retying the score at 10 apiece.

The first-half, back-and-forth continued.

Neri connected on a jumper for a 12-10 advantage.

However, the Rams went on a 5-0 run to recapture the lead and were up 15-10.

Purchase got a key 3 from Graves to tie the game at 15-all, just under six and a half minutes.

Kinloch broke the tie for FSC on two free throws, but Sillaro countered on a jumper for the Panthers.

Then, FSC reserve Brandon Herriot fired a 3-pointer for a 20-17 Rams lead. A pair of free throws by FSC extended the margin back to five under four minutes. At 2:25, Herriot connected on his third 3 of the half for a 25-17 lead. The Rams followed with another score for a 27-17 advantage.  

FSC closed the half up 31-19.  

In the win, the Rams were paced offensively by Kinard and Herriot, who finished with 12 points apiece, and were among four in double figures. Purchase was led by Graves and his 19 points.