THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – Purchase College men's basketball kicked off the new year with an 83-75 road victory against Maritime College Monday night. 

The Panthers—coming off a 27-day break between games—earned their first win of the season after a slew of double-digit performances. With the victory, Purchase improved to 1-8 overall and 1-1 in the Skyline Conference. The notable night also marked a career-first win for Purchase head coach Daniel Bozzelli. In defeat, the host Privateers dropped to 3-7 overall and 0-4 in the league.  

Both teams traded baskets in the opening minutes. Trailing 11-9, Purchase's Elijah Holmes (SO/Brooklyn, NY) delivered a three-point bucket in the fifth minute that gave the visitors a lead they would carry throughout the game.

Shortly after, the Panthers went on a 14-6 run to open up a 23-15 cushion.  Maritime's Jaylin Gray responded with seven straight points to pull the Privateers within one point (23-22), but Purchase countered with a rally of its own to push the margin back to eight. 

At the break, the Panthers held a 41-34 advantage. 

Purchase continued its offensive stride in the second half, extending its lead to a game-high 11 points (56-45) in the opening five minutes. 

Maritime snapped Purchase's run on a Sean Flynn jumper which ignited a Maritime comeback.  The Privateers chipped away and eventually tied the game, 65-65, on an Alec Downes layup with 5:26 left.  However, Purchase scored 12 of the next 16 points to regain an eight-point edge. 

The Panthers closed out their 83-75 victory with six trips to the charity stripe. Shooting a perfect 100 percent at the line, Jordan Knochen (SR/Maybrook, NY) and Malcolm Hansford-Whyte (SR/Queens,  NY) combined for 12 points over the final 75 seconds. Knochen delivered 8-of-8 while Hansford-Whyte connected on 4-of-4. 

For the game, Hansford-Whyte led four Panthers in double figures with 19 points while also grabbing seven rebounds.  Knochen finished with 16 points, five boards, five assists and three steals, while Terrence Mason (JR/Greenburgh, NY) earned his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Mason (FR/Staten Island, NY) registered 11 points and Matthew Phillips (FR/Bronx, NY) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. 

The Panthers shot 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from the floor, 26.3 percent (5-of-19) from beyond the arc, and 85.7 percent (18-of-21) at the foul line.

For Maritime, Gray played a season-high 39 minutes and finished with 25 points, six rebounds and six assists.  Theo Noble added 10 points and seven boards, while Downes contributed 10 points of his own.  Griffin McNally grabbed a team-high seven rebounds to go along with seven points. 

As a team, the Privateers shot 45 percent (27-of-60) from the field, 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from three-point range, and 68.2 percent (15-of-22) at the charity stripe.

Up next, Purchase will play host to Sarah Lawrence College in a Skyline showdown this Wednesday at 6 p.m.