Box Score

Bronx, NY (Feb. 14, 2015) – Valentine's Day was a sweet score of a victory for the Purchase College men's basketball team, which edged SUNY Maritime, 68-65, at the Riesenberg Hall Gymnasium in the Bronx.

It was a back-and-forth affair between the two clubs. Maritime's T'Vaughn Gibson's 1,000-point shot proved to be a key one in terms of the game as the senior gave the Privateers their first lead of the contest at 13:36 of the first half to put Maritime up 13-12 score following a sluggish start.
 
Purchase regained its lead on the next possession, but Maritime responded with six unanswered points. The lead then swung back in favor of the Panthers, as Purchase went on a roll and took a 12-point advantage at 37-25 with 3:56 left in the opening period.

Maritime (6-17, 4-12 Skyline Conference) rallied once behind a 5-0 run, followed by a jumper from Gibson to pull the Privateers within five points.

Both sides exchanged a pair of free throws as the Panthers took a 39-34 lead into the halftime break.
 
In the second half, an early 3 for Maritime tied the game at 41 with 16:44 left in the half.

Maritime got the lead up to three on each of its next possessions as the two sides exchanged baskets. That lead stretched to six, but Purchase once again regrouped in one of its best games of the season to tie the game. The Panthers then rattled off six straight to put Purchase up by four, but back-to-back scores by Maritime tied it again – this time at 59-all.

But Purchase was able to pull away late and outscore Maritime 6-1 to have a five-point lead with nine seconds left in the game.

Despite the late advantage, Maritime had a couple of more chances, including a last second 3 for the tie that was missed. 

Gibson finished the game with eight points. Sean Corley had a season-best 17 points on the afternoon, while ripping down seven defensive rebounds.  
 
Offensively, the Panthers were paced by Nicholas Jackson (JR/Brooklyn, NY) and Creig Graves (JR/Harlem, NY), who each scored 15. Troy Singleton (JR/Queens, NY) chipped in 12.

Purchase (8-14, 8-7 Skyline) will return home for the final three games of its season beginning with Mount St. Vincent on Tuesday evening at 6 p.m.

-SUNY Maritime Sports Information Contributed to this report