Box Score

Purchase, NY (Feb. 7, 2015) – An early deficit didn't slow down the Purchase College men's basketball team Saturday against Farmingdale State, as the Panthers rebounded and notched their second straight Skyline Conference win to stay in the tournament hunt.

The Panthers, fresh off a road victory over Sarah Lawrence Thursday night, trailed early Saturday at home against FSC, but regrouped over the final five minutes of the first half and went on to win, 83-73.  

In the process, Purchase improved to 7-13 overall and 7-6 in league play, dropping FSC to 6-14 and 4-9. The Panthers are currently between the fifth and sixth spots in the league standings. The top six teams advance to the conference tournament.  

Farmingdale State came out firing, leaping out to a 6-3 lead and shortly later a 10-3 margin before opening a 17-8 advantage at 12:48 in the first half.

The Panthers slowly chipped away through the first 10 minutes of play, highlighted by some nice scoring plays from Creig Graves (JR/Harlem, NY) and Michael Pelham (SO/Spring Valley, NY). Graves hit a 3-pointer at about the seven-minute marker that trimmed the deficit to 24-19. Pelham followed with a forceful layup right after to make the score 24-21.

The Rams regrouped and extended to 27-23, but Graves connected on another shot from beyond the perimeter to pull Purchase within one, 27-26 at 4:15.
Three minutes later, a pair of free throws from Taylor Foster (JR/Greenbugh, NY) handed the Panthers their first lead (28-27). The turnaround sparked another long distance shot – this time from Troy Singleton (JR/Queens, NY), who buried a corner 3 to push the lead to 31-27.  

The Rams responded with a layup (31-29) before the Panthers reeled off five straight, including a two-pointer from Foster and a 3-pointer from Jose Reyes (JR/Bronx, NY) (36-29). FSC grabbed the final hoop of the half to bring the halftime score to 36-31 in favor of the hosts.   

Foster and Reyes capped the first half with eight points apiece, while Graves and Singleton added six each. Pelham was a standout defensively over the first 20 minutes, swiping a game-high three steals to his credit.

The Rams were led by Marques Underwood (seven first-half points) and Irvine Weldon (six points) and Ruben Terrero (six points).

The second half began with another surge by Purchase, which led 47-41 at 15:01. Moments later, a fastbreak and layup by Graves extended that margin to 49-42.

Purchase then opened a 58-45 lead highlighted by a fastbreak dunk by Justin Person (SR/Greenburgh, NY) at 10:25. Nicholas Jackson (JR/Brooklyn, NY) followed with a reverse layup and the lead ballooned to 60-47 – the largest of the afternoon.

FSC would not go quietly, firing back and cutting the lead to 62-57 at 7:23. After trailing by 13, the Rams scored 10 of the next 12 points scored in the contest until Graves broke their momentum with a 3-pointer to bump the lead back up (65-57).

The 3s helped Purchase regain their double-figure margin. Singleton made it 70-59 at around the five-minute marker.

Following a hoop of their own, the Rams took a timeout at 4:06, trailing 70-61.

The timeout helped FSC regroup. The Rams reeled off five straight points, including two hoops and a foul and converted free throw by Eddie Kinloch as part of a conventional style three-point play that brought the Rams back within four (70-66).

Purchase responded with four straight of its own to prompt another timeout by the visitors. Following the timeout, center Kendall Felix (SR/Brooklyn, NY) completed the free throw for a 75-66 lead with 2:32 to play.

Felix would score moments later and Reyes and Singleton added another each as well as Purchase sealed the double-figure win.   

For the game, Foster netted a game-high 18 points. Purchase featured a balanced attack, with five players reaching double figures (Foster, 18; Singleton, 13; Reyes, 12; Felix, 12; and Graves, 11).

The Rams also had five in double figures, led by Anthony Lanieri and his 17. Weldon and Underwood finished with 13 points apiece and combined for 15 of the team's 43 rebounds.  

The men's team returns to action Monday night against Old Westbury.