Farmingdale State - 84, Old Westbury - 74
Farmingdale, N.Y. - Farmingdale State held a 19-point advantage with less than eight minutes remaining and despite Old Westbury closing to within six points, the Rams held on for the 84-74 conference win this afternoon. The FSC men's basketball team improved to 11-6 overall and 9-3 in the Skyline.
Trailing 11-8 early in the first half, the Panthers (7-11, 6-7 Skyline) would use a 7-0 run to take a four-point advantage, 15-11.
After FSC sophomore guard Chaz Platt (Jamaica, N.Y.) hit a 3 to cut the deficit to just one, Old Westbury junior forward Alan McDonald (Hempstead, N.Y.) hit a layup to put the Panthers up by three.
The Rams would use an 11-0 run over the next 2:33, including six points from senior guard Liam Monaghan (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.), to go out in front 25-17 with 7:26 left in the first.
Following a pair of layups by Old Westbury junior forward Yancy Ulysse (Valley Stream, N.Y.), FSC closed the half on a 15-5 run as they went into the break leading by 14, 40-26.
With 9:15 remaining and Farmingdale State still ahead by 14, 63-49, a pair of free-throws by Platt and three points by junior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) put Farmingdale State ahead by 19, 68-49.
Old Westbury would respond with a 13-3 run over the next 2:18, including back-to-back 3's by senior forward Khalil Wilson (Roosevelt, N.Y.) and senior guard Michael Samuel (East Orange, N.J.), to cut the deficit to nine, 71-62.
After trading layups, a 3 by Platt allowed the Rams to go up by 12, 76-64. The Panthers would answer again with an 8-2 run to close within just six points, 78-72, with 1:40 remaining.
Monaghan and Graham would combine to go 6-for-8 at the free-throw line down the stretch as Farmingdale State would hold on for the conference win, 84-74.
Graham tallied a team-high 20 points, six rebounds and three assists, while Riefenstahl shot 70% (7-for-10) from the field for 18 points and Monaghan produced 14 points off the bench.
For the Panthers, McDonald totaled 22 points and five rebounds, while Ulysse recorded 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds in the loss.
The Rams next travel to Maritime College for a Skyline Conference game on Tuesday, January 30th at 7:00 p.m.
*****