Purchase - 67, Farmingdale State - 65 (F/OT)
PURCHASE, N.Y. | The Farmingdale State College men's basketball team traveled to Purchase College for a Skyline Conference game on Saturday afternoon and lost in overtime, 67-65, on a last-second shot. With the Rams holding a one-point lead in the final seconds of OT, Chad Duke of the Panthers sank a buzzer-beating heave to give Purchase the win. FSC now stands at 9-8 overall and 6-2 in conference play.
Farmingdale State led 26-22 late in the first half and used a pair of baskets by senior guard
Jevon Santos (Elmont, N.Y.) to take a 30-24 advantage into the break.
Over the first five minutes of the second half, Purchase (9-8, 5-3 Skyline) outscored the Rams, 11-4, as they jumped out to a 35-34 lead. Following a Santos free-throw, the Panthers recorded 11 consecutive points to take a 46-35 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
FSC responded with an 11-0 run of their own, including nine points by Santos and a
Hamdel Mohammed (Bronx, N.Y.) dunk, to knot the score at 46-46. Farmingdale State continued the surge with a pair of Santos free-throws and a layup by freshman forward
Jordan Tucker (Elmont, N.Y.) to go ahead, 50-46.
With 5:27 on the clock, the Panthers knoced down a 3-pointer to tie the game at 51-51. The teams traded baskets down the stretch, with each team hitting a 3, including one by Rams' sophomore forward
Liam Buckley (Manhasset, N.Y.) to make it 56-56.
The Rams had a chance in the final seconds of regulation but missed a jumper as the game headed into overtime.
In OT, Farmingdale State trailed 64-62 when Mohammed converted a layup, was fouled and completed the three-point play giving FSC a 65-64 lead with 11 seconds remaining.
Purchase quickly inbound the ball and set a screen for Duke, who hit a contested 3-pointer at the buzzer, securing the 67-65 victory for the Panthers.
Santos led the way for FSC with a career-high 19 points to go with four rebounds and two steals. Buckley tallied 16 points and 11 rebounds in 39 minutes played, while Mohammed had 16 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
The Rams will next play host to Yeshiva University on Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m. on Greek Night.
