Rams Advance to Skyline Championship with win over Purchase

- #1 Farmingdale State vs. #2 Mount Saint Mary, Sunday at 11am -

Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State women's basketball team advanced to the Skyline Conference Championship game with a 79-55 win over No. 5 seed Purchase College (12-15). The Rams (24-1) will host second-seeded Mount Saint Mary College on Sunday, February 28th at 11:00 a.m. Senior guard Kimberly Blakney (Brooklyn, N.Y./Benjamin Banneker) posted game-highs of 27 points and 11 steals to lead Farmingdale.

In the first half, the Rams fell behind 8-0 before scoring the next 18 points to take an 18-8 lead with 8:09 remaining. At the break, Farmingdale held a 40-22 advantage behind Blakney's 17-points and eight steals, as she went 5-for-5 from the floor (3-for-3 from long range) and 4-for-4 from the charity stripe. Freshman guard Jeanette Zubizaretta (Bay Shore, N.Y./Calhoun) hit three from long range and finished the half with nine points.

Farmingdale continued to pressure the Panthers in the second half and would lead by as much as 27 points, as they forced 37 turnovers in the game and rolled towards the win. The Rams will be facing the Blue Knights in the Finals for the seventh consecutive year tomorrow morning. Mount Saint Mary, the 10-Time defending Champions, holds a 15-3 record all-time vs. the Rams.

High scorers for Farmingdale were Blakney with 27 points, senior guard Kamaya Miller (Brooklyn, N.Y./Midwood) had 18 points, Zubizaretta with 14 points.

For the Panthers, senior center Liila Mack (Monticello, N.Y./Monticello) finished with 13 points and 15 rebounds. Senior guard Jessie Domes (Glenwood, N.Y./Springville) had a team-high 18 points.

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