Rams Defeat Purchase for Sixth Straight Skyline Win
Farmingdale State - 77, Purchase College - 72
Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State men's basketball team earned their sixth straight Skyline Conference win after defeating Purchase College, 77-72, this evening in Farmingdale, N.Y.
Tied 28-28 at the break, the Rams started the second half on a 18-2 run, which spanned seven minutes and featured five different players scoring. Farmingdale State increased the lead to 50-33 with 12:47 remaining, before the Panthers responded with a 13-0 run, cutting he deficit to 50-46.
Trailing 69-65 with 2:04 to play, senior guard Michael McNair (Valley Cottage, N.Y./Nyack) connected on a 3-pointer for Purchase, pulling his team within one. Junior guard Joshua Smith (Deer Park, N.Y./Deer Park) scored on a layup on Farmingdale State's next possession to put the Rams ahead 71-68. Farmingdale led by three until Purchase's Marvin Billups (Chester, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) hit a layup and was fouled with 19 seconds remaining. Billups missed the free-throw and a chance to even the game at 73. Junior guard Dyshaun Flournoy (Brentwood, N.Y./Brentwood) grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled. He put Farmingdale State on top 75-72 after connecting on both free-throws. Purchase was unable to hit a game-tying three with five seconds to play and Smith capped off the victory for the Rams with a slam dunk as time expired.
Smith, Flournoy and senior guard Keith Nandin (Queens, N.Y./St. Francis Prep.) each scored 14 points for Farmingdale State.
The Panthers were led by Billups who shot 10-of-14 from the field for a game-high 27 points.
The Rams next will travel to St. Joseph's College for a Skyline Conference game on Saturday, January 15th at 5:30 p.m.
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