Box Score PURCHASE, N.Y. – Despite leading by as many as 11 in the second half, the Mount Saint Mary College men's basketball team fell to Purchase College, 76-71, in the Skyline Conference opener for the Knights on Thursday evening.  The Panthers improved to 3-1 overall (2-0 Skyline), while the Mount dropped to 3-2 overall (0-1 Skyline).

Mount Saint Mary closed the first half on a 19-7 run and seized a one-point advantage (31-30) at the break when sophomore Donte Howell (Baldwin, N.Y.) swished an 80-foot heave at the buzzer.  The Knights would gradually pull away in the early part of the second half, and eventually, a six-point run sent them to a 57-46 lead with 10:54 remaining.

When sophomore Joe Henain (Benesuef, Egypt) hit one-of-two at the line with 5:39 to play, Mount Saint Mary still led by eight (65-57).  From there, however, Purchase would rattle off the next nine points and when junior Amar Reynolds (Bronx, N.Y.) knocked down a three-pointer with 2:38 to play, the Panthers led 66-65.

The teams would trade the lead back-and-forth several times until a pair of free throws from Mount senior Kevin Milella (Floral Park, N.Y.) with 41 seconds gave the Knights a 71-70 advantage.  The Panthers would respond on the next possession though, as junior John Pressley (New York, N.Y.) knocked down a jumper with 17 seconds to play to make it 72-71 and give Purchase the lead for good.

Sophomore Donte Howell (Baldwin, N.Y.) led the Knights with 13 points and senior Carlos Valdez (Carolina, Puerto Rico) completed another double-double with 11 points and 11 boards.  Valdez scored the 1,000th point of his career to become just the 11th player in recorded Mount men's basketball history to reach the milestone.  Milella and Henain each chipped in 11 points for the Knights, who shot just 36.4% from the field and made just eight of their 27 three-point attempts.

Senior B.J. Warrington (Bronx, N.Y.) led five Panthers in double figures with 13 points and 10 rebounds.  Freshman Chris Fazio (Mohegan Lake, N.Y.) added 13 points, while senior Elon Howard (Brooklyn, N.Y.) pitched in with 12 points and six boards.  Purchase shot 47.5% from the field for the contest.

The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Knights as they'll head to St. Joseph's College for a Skyline date on Saturday.  The second game of a men's-women's double-header, the tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Patchogue.