Purchase, NY (Jan. 26, 2016) – Sage College started strong and topped Purchase Tuesday night at home.

The reigning conference champion Gators posted an 85-68 win, improving to 12-7 overall, including 10-4 in Skyline Conference play. The loss drops Purchase to 10-9 and 8-6. The Panthers had won two straight and six of seven in the New Year.  

Sage built upon a 41-24 score at the break. The Gators held a 55-32 lead five minutes into the second half and a 67-46 advantage at 8:59 en route to sealing the victory and snapping Purchase's recent streak. However, the Panthers showed resilience, cutting into the 20-point deficit following a competitive first half, but ultimately, Sage's depth and strong start was enough.     

The Gators were paced by guard Jorrdan McCray and his game-high 22 points. Three Sage players finished in double figures offensively, including key reserve Rob Mills (18 points) and starting forward Marcus Patterson (15 points, team-high eight rebounds). Kaliph Grant (SO/Bronx, NY) and Joel Neri (SR/Port Chester, NY) led Purchase with 12 points apiece. Panther point guard Jose Reyes (SR/Bronx, NY) chipped in 10 points.

The game was scoreless and tight defensively through the first two minutes of the game. A conventional style three-point by swingman Michael Soffer (FR/Agoura, CA) gave Purchase a quick 3-0 lead, but the Gators responded with consecutive scores to jump on top, 4-3, just under 17 minutes. 

Grant countered on the next possession for the lead, but Sage once again responded, connecting on a 3-pointer for a 7-5 lead.

Sage then extended to 9-5 before a Taylor Foster (SR/Greenburgh, NY) score cut it to 9-7. 

But Sage's opening 20 minutes was highlighted by its play from beyond the arc. Another 3 pushed the lead to five for Sage. 

Grant was a standout for the Panthers in the first half. He connected on back-to-back scores, hitting a jumper and a reverse layup following Sage's long ball, but the Gators got hot from outside again and would take an 19-11 margin into the game's first timeout by Purchase at 12:02.

The visitors utilized the strong start to head into the halftime up 17.

In the first half, Purchase was paced by Grant and his eight points. Soffer added six, including one 3-pointer.

Sage's Mills and McCray paced the Gators offensively in the opening period, netting 11 and 10 points, respectively. Mills went 4 of 4 from the field, including 3 of 3 from behind the arc.

Sage picked up where it left off in the first half, shooting 48 percent from the field for the game. The Gators also shot 88.5 percent from the free-throw line (23-26).

Looking to bounce back, Purchase will now begin a three-game road trip. Six games remain in the regular season.