PURCHASE, N.Y. - Second-half adjustments can make all the difference in a close game.

That was the case Tuesday night, as the Purchase College men's basketball team used lockdown defense over the final 20 minutes to best SUNY Old Westbury in the Battle of the Panthers, 80-71.

The game was a tale of two halves for the Panthers' defense, as Old Westbury shot 63.4% in the first frame to lead 48-43 at the break.

Following halftime, the Blue and Orange Panthers completely flipped the script on the Green and White Panthers, limiting the guests to just 19.4% shooting over the final 20 minutes.

As a result, Purchase easily outscored Old Westbury in the second half, 37-23, and collected the come-from-behind win. 

Overall, the contest saw 12 lead changes and seven tie scores, despite the fact that both sides enjoyed double-digit leads on the night. 

For the game, the two sides finished with nearly identical field goal percentages, but Purchase edged the visitors in the end thanks to fewer turnovers and more offensive rebounds.

The Panthers also benefited from having the best player on the court Tuesday night in Matthew Phillips (SO/Bronx, NY), as the sophomore finished with a game-high 22 points, a team-high 11 rebounds (five offensive) and a career-high 7 blocks.

Purchase also got solid performances from Terrence Mason (JR/Greenburgh, NY), who tallied 12 points and six rebounds, and Elijah Holmes (SO/Brooklyn, NY) with 10 points, six rebounds and three assists.

With the result, Purchase improved to 7-8 overall and 2-5 in the Skyline Conference. For Old Westbury, the loss dropped the squad to 1-13 and 1-6, respectively. 

Up next for the Panthers is the final of four-straight home games, as the squad welcomes St. Joseph's University-Long Island to campus on January 21st at noon. You can follow along right here.