OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. – The Mount Saint Mary College men's basketball team (4-9, 3-3 Skyline) rallied back early in the second half to take the lead, but was ultimately unable to hold on, as the Knights fell to SUNY College at Old Westbury (4-10, 4-3 Skyline), 69-57, Thursday evening at the Clark Athletic Center.
Old Westbury ran out to a 19-7 lead almost halfway through the opening frame. A three by freshman forward
Gerard Nocera (Holmdel, N.J.) with 4:59 left in the half got the Knights back within five, but the Panthers held tight to their lead, taking a 34-26 edge into the break.
Mount Saint Mary opened the second half by scoring the first five points, but a three by Old Westbury's Jaquan Potter seemed to halt the Knights' momentum. After four-straight scoreless possessions, the Knights got on the board next after a jumper by Nocera. The Knights then got the ball back, and freshman guard
Daniel Wolff (Holtsville, N.Y.) tied the game with a layup, drawing a foul in the process. He made the ensuing free throw to give the Knights their first lead of the game.
The Knight's lead lasted all of 11 seconds, as Floyd Leroy hit a layup on a fastbreak on the next possession to put the Panthers up once again. After they went up by three, sophomore forward
Alex Smith (Marlboro, N.Y.) drained a three to tie the game once again with 15:01 to play. The Panthers scored the next six points, pulling out to a lead that they would not forfeit.
Old Westbury's Floyd Leroy picked up a double-double with 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead all scorers in both categories Thursday evening. Luckens Victor and Omari Trebuse each added 11 points, and Victor matched Reynaldo Walters with a team-best five assists.
Wolff scored 14 points and grabbed nine boards to pace the Knights on Thursday. Freshman guard
Tyler McDine (Suffern, N.Y.) led all players with seven assists. Nocera and Smith each contributed 11 points, while Smith added two blocks.
The Knights were outrebounded, 45-32, and were outscored in the paint, 34-24. The Panthers got a nice boost from their bench, outscoring the Knight reserves, 20-9.
The Knights do not get long to dwell on Thursday's defeat, as they challenge the College of Mount Saint Vincent on Saturday, Jan. 17, in Skyline Conference competition. Tip-off in Riverdale, N.Y. is scheduled for 1 p.m.
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