Purchase, NY (Jan. 16, 2016) – Red-hot Purchase led by one at halftime, but couldn't hold off visiting Old Westbury over the final 20 minutes in a 72-55 loss Saturday at home.

Old Westbury was led by Jamail Stanley and his game-high 27 points and 17 rebounds. He added three assists and two steals to his double-double effort. Backed by Stanley's stellar performance, the visitors outscored the hosts 47-29 in the second period.

In the win, OW improves to 8-2 overall, including 9-6 in Skyline Conference play.

Purchase (8-8, 6-5) has its five-game win streak snapped in the loss. The Panthers had won four straight games to start 2016.

OW is now in second place, while the Panthers are tied for fourth in a crowded middle-of-the-pack grouping in the league standings.  

Purchase started strong, forcing OW into a shot clock violation on the opening possession of the game. The visitors won the opening tip. It remained scoreless until Purchase's Nicholas Jackson (SR/Brooklyn, NY) swished a jumper at 17:15. OW countered with a make by Stanley.

Jackson scored Purchase's first two baskets and added a free-throw on a conventional style three-point play early for a 5-2 advantage.

The visitors cut it to 5-4 on the next trip down the floor, but Jose Reyes (SR/Bronx, NY) scored his first points of the game on a 3-pointer, pushing the Purchase lead to 8-4 under 16 minutes.

At 14 and a half minutes, Taylor Foster (SR/Greenburgh, NY) got in the points column with his first score of the game – a two in the paint, as the hosts raced out to a six-point lead.

Both teams played the first half deep into the shot clock, with defense playing a featuring role in the period.

OW's Stephon Odle sunk a 3-pointer to close back to 10-6 at 13:11. Shortly after, made free throws helped the visitors draw within two (10-8), prompting a Purchase timeout at 10:53.

A Stanley layup tied the game seconds out of the timeout, but Jackson and company responded as the standout forward buried a triple for a 13-10 lead under the halfway mark.      

With both teams trading baskets over the next four minutes, Purchase was up 17-15 at the six-minute marker. Guard Max Pearce (SO/Tuckahoe, NY) made it 19-15 on his first score of the afternoon.

At 3:45, OW's P.J. Page drove the basket, scored and got the continuation. His made free throw brought the visitors back within one (19-18).

But quick, consecutive scores, including a Pearce 3 pushed the Panther lead back up to six under three minutes (24-18).

However, OW reeled off seven of the next nine points scored in the game, as the half closed 26-25 with Purchase in the lead. The visiting Panther run was highlighted by a Luckens Victor dunk and a Page jumper. 

Foster scored the first basket of the second half, but Stanley answered right back with a score in the back-and-forth affair.

Stanley then connected on a 3-pointer (17:40) for OW's first lead in the second, 30-28. The visitors continued their strong second-half start with seven straight points on an Odle layup, taking a 32-28 advantage.

That lead increased to 35-28 just under 16 minutes from the charity stripe, including two made free throws by Stanley.

At 14:31, Neri scored in the paint and was fouled. His missed on the free throw for the potential three-point play, but his score broke a cold stretch and brought Purchase back within five, 35-30.

Stanley continued his strong outing, posting a three-point play of his own for a 38-30 margin. The lead swelled to 10 on an Odle layup at 13:32.

At 11:30, after Foster had made two free throws for Purchase, Odle hit a 3 and then reserve Lylle Ryals scored on a layup (11:08) for the visitors' largest lead of the day to that point – 13 points – 45-32.
With just under 10 minutes to go in the game, OW led 50-34.

Purchase showed fight down the stretch.

Panther reserve guard Creig Graves (SR/Harlem, NY) hit a 3-pointer to close back to 13 (50-37).

OW found another spurt. The visitors scored six straight to take a commanding 56-37 lead at 7:15. The run was highlighted by some timely outside shooting.

Purchase responded with six straight points of its own, flashing its mettle to close within 56-43 under six minutes. Foster and Neri led the charge during that stretch.

Neri's made free throw at 5:22 made it 56-44 in favor of OW. The visiting Panthers tallied four straight points to push the lead back up to 14 at 4:35 and would hold a 63-48 advantage at 2:30 to help seal the victory. Largely, free throws capped the game in the last two minutes, as OW fended off Purchase in the 17-point win.  

Purchase was paced offensively by Foster, who finished with 21. The Panthers will look to bounce back, when they return to action on Jan. 20 at Sarah Lawrence.