New York, NY (Nov. 19, 2016) –  The Purchase College women's basketball team dropped a pair of non-conference games in the Hunter College Tip-Off Tournament this past weekend.  The Panthers fell to Alfred University 73-58 in their opening game on Friday, and later lost by a final score of 80-60 against SUNY Cobleskill on Saturday. 

GAME ONE: Alfred 73, Purchase 58
The Panthers were in control in the opening half with their biggest lead of the night coming in the first quarter with Purchase up 18-12.  Alfred tied the game at 18 to start the second quarter but a three-point bucket by Panther rookie Dayja Medina (FR/Brewster, NY) would put Purchase ahead 21-18.  However, missed opportunities, turnovers and a hot shooter gave Alfred a lead it would hold for the remainder of the game.  The Saxons would go on a 19-8 run to close the half with a 37-29 lead over Purchase.

The Purchase offense continued to struggle in the final two quarters and Alfred took advantage, stretching the Saxons' lead to as much as 26 points in the fourth quarter. The Panthers attempted a late comeback, going in a 17-8 run in the final quarter, but could not chip away enough of the Alfred lead before the sound of the final buzzer.

The Panthers led offensively by Medina with 18 points, Kayla Ortiz (JR/Brooklyn, NY) with 15 points and Amber Jones (SO/Bronx, NY) with 11 points.  As a team, Purchase shot 34.4 percent from the field, 32.1 percent from beyond the arc and 83.3 percent from the line. The Panthers also nabbed 31 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals in the loss.

GAME TWO: Cobleskill 80, Purchase 60
The Panthers' second and final game of the tournament was a consolation game against SUNY Cobleskill.  The Fighting Tigers would take the non-conference win by a score of 80-60.

The Panthers were paced by Ortiz, April Uhl (SR/Jackson Heights, NY) and Medina.  Ortiz totaled a team-high 16 points and eight rebounds while Uhl and Medina added 14 and 11 points, respectively.
 
Cobleskill dominated the backboard throughout the contest posting a 51-to-29 advantage on the glass while also posting one of their best overall shooting efforts in recent seasons going 29-for-55 from the field, 52.7%, including 8-for-18 from three-point range, 44.4%, and 14-of-20, 70.0%, from the free throw line.

Leading 32-26 at halftime the Fighting Tigers exploded in the third quarter to outscore the Panthers 26-to-12 during the stanza to lead 58-38 after three quarters and effectively put the game away as Purchase could come no closer than 15 points the rest of the contest.

In defeat, Purchase drops to 1-2 on the season.  The Panthers return to action Tuesday with a home game against Albertus Magnus.