PURCHASE, N.Y. - After trailing by as many as 19 points midway through the third quarter Saturday afternoon, the Purchase College women's basketball team responded with its best effort of the season to slip past Sarah Lawrence College, 79-71.
The Panthers entered the last frame down 13 points, before proceeding to outscore the Gryphons, 27-6 in the quarter, and 14-0 over the final four minutes to turn a 71-65 deficit into the eventual win.
For Purchase, the 79 points marked the most the team has scored all season, and was fueled by quartet of players that each set new career-high marks along the way.
Miya Ritchie (SR/Harlem, NY) led all players with a game-high 28 points and five steals. It was also the third time in the last eight days that Ritchie broke her previous scoring total.
Elsewhere,
Kasia Morrison (SO/Bronx, NY) added 25 points, eclipsing the 20-point mark for the first time in her Purchase tenure, while
Jules Martinez (SR/Brooklyn, NY) chipped in 14 points, breaking the double-digit margin for the first time in her career.
On the boards,
Karina Medina (SR/Brooklyn, NY) dominated to the tune of 15 rebounds (four offensive), setting a new career total.
While the Panthers were outshot on the day, 40.5 percent to 36.5, the defense made up the difference with forced turnovers. In all, Purchase harassed the Gryphons into 25 mistakes, while turning it over just 10 times. That proved to be huge late, as the hosts forced eight turnovers in the fourth quarter alone.
Before the exciting action of the final frame, the two teams opened the game with some back-and-forth action.
After the first quarter, the guests led 22-21, before pushing that margin to 11 points at the halftime break, 44-33.
After Morrison opened the second half with a layup, the Gryphons responded with 10-straight points, pushing the lead to its biggest of the afternoon at 19 points, 54-35.
Over the remainder of the third, the Panthers slowly chipped into the margin and got back within 13 points entering the fourth. Then once the final ten-minute frame commenced, it suddenly became all Purchase to closeout the game.
With the result, the Panthers are now 2-17 overall and 2-14 in the Skyline Conference. Meanwhile, Sarah Lawrence dropped to 6-12 and 4-11, respectively.
Up next for Purchase is its third of four-straight home games against Skyline foes, as the Panthers welcome U.S. Merchant Marine Academy on February 7th. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. and you can follow along here.
