Purchase, NY (Jan. 7, 2016) – Make it 2-0 in 2016.

The New Year has equaled victory for the Purchase College men's basketball team. The Panthers hosted SUNY rival Maritime Thursday night, topping the Privateers 55-51 to improve to 6-7 overall and 4-4 in Skyline Conference play. 

For the Panthers, this is their second win in the New Year since returning from the holiday break. They defeated St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn Monday night and are now back to .500 in league play. The loss dropped Maritime to 1-9 overall, including 1-4 in the conference.  

The Panthers started strong behind the play of Nicholas Jackson (SR/Brooklyn, NY). The forward buried a 3-pointer for a quick 3-0 lead.

In the first minutes of play, Purchase opened up 5-2 advantage, but Maritime stayed in the game from the outset, closing back to 5-4 on a make and then taking its first lead of the game on a 3-pointer by Tim Hoch (7-5).

Jackson stayed hot, countering with a 3 of his own for an 8-7 margin. The senior then rattled off another 3 – back-to-back long balls – for an 11-7 lead. Maritime answered with a two-point score to pull within 11-9.

But Purchase was sharp. The Panthers scored another two for a four-point lead, 13-9. However, the Privateers answered again in the back-and-forth battle, scoring from long range to make it 13-12. Purchase reserve Michael Soffer (Agoura, CA) came off the bench and hit a 3-pointer as the Panthers held a 16-12 advantage. Purchase center Joel Neri (SR/Port Chester, NY) followed with a score and the hosts were able to stay on top throughout the first half, holding a 22-19 lead with five minutes to go in the period.  

Maritime showed its mettle, especially from beyond the arc. The 3 played a big role in the first half for both teams. The visitors connected on another 3 under five minutes as Hoch brought Maritime back on his second deep shot of the period (27-22).

The Panther bench helped Purchase close the half up 31-29. Creig Graves (SR/Harlem, NY) hit his first shot for a 31-25 lead with under two minutes. Maritime scored the final two baskets of the half, including another from center Patrick MacDonald.

The Privateers were paced by Isaiah Hayes and Hoch, who both finished with six, first-half points. Purchase was led by Jackson and his 15 first-half points. Soffer scored five points in seven minutes of action in the opening half.

Purchase picked up where it left off in the first half, scoring the first basket of the second half. The Panthers led 33-29 at 17:25.  

The game stayed close. Hayes electrified the Privateers with a jam to make it 33-31.

Undeterred, Purchase responded with a 5-0 run, highlighted by a Jose Reyes (SR/Bronx, NY) 3-pointer (38-31). Shortly after, Neri sunk a hook shot for a 40-33 lead. That lead ballooned to 10 at 10:33 on layup by Jackson.

But Maritime hit another 3 to close back to seven (43-36). Jackson would then hit two free throws to push the host lead back to 45-36 with just under 10 minutes.

Points were a bit hard to come by in a tight defensive second half for both teams. It was 45-38 at the six-minute mark and 48-42 at the four-minute marker.

With under four minutes, Maritime got a clutch basket from Hayes to make it 48-44 – the closest score of the second half to that point.

Neri would go to the charity stripe with three and half minutes to go and make one of two for a 49-44 lead. Maritime closed back to three on another clutch score. John Liccese's two-pointer made it 49-46 at 3:11.  

At 2:02, Kalyn Credle (JR/Queens, NY) made one of two from the line before Hoch answered with a basket for Maritime to bring the Privateers back within two.

With it a one possession game, Credle connected on a turnaround around the rim for a 52-48 lead.  It became a free-throwing shooting affair the rest of the way, with the Panthers fending off Maritime for the 55-51 win. Jackson, Credle and Julian Wright (SR/Mount Vernon, NY) all made a single free throw each down the stretch to seal the win. For Maritime, MacDonald made two free throws to close back to 53-50 – the closest the Privateers would reach again in the loss – at 00:48. Hayes added a free throw after a foul was committed with two tenths of a second remaining. 

Jackson headlined the Panther offense with a game-high 20 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes of action. He was followed by Neri (nine points, game-high 17 rebounds) and Reyes and Credle (seven points apiece). Maritime was led by Liccese and Hayes, who finished with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Now, the Panthers will look to make it three straight in the New Year, when Purchase travels to Farmingdale State Saturday.