Farmingdale State - 102, Mount Saint Vincent - 93 (2OT)
Riverdale, N.Y. - In a Skyline Conference men's basketball game on Tuesday evening, Farmingdale State senior guard Matthew Graham (Valley Stream, N.Y.) scored a career-high 31 points, including 11 points in the double overtime period alone, to lead the Rams to a 102-93 victory over Mount Saint Vincent. FSC improved to 9-5 overall and 7-2 in conference play. With the win, Head Coach Brendan Twomey earned his 100th career victory.
In an evenly played first half, Farmingdale State trailed by five, 28-23, with five minutes remaining. FSC would outscore the Dolphins (4-9, 3-5 Skyline) 11-5 the rest of the way to take a 34-33 advantage into the break.
Still leading by one, 38-37, early in the second half, Rams' senior forward George Riefenstahl (Bayport, N.Y.) tallied a layup and a free-throw before Graham knocked down a pair from the foul line to give Farmingdale State a six-point edge. Following a layup from Mount Saint Vincent sophomore center Vinny Tavella (Staten Island, N.Y.), Riefenstahl converted three straight layups put FSC ahead 49-39 with 14:51 on the clock.
Farmingdale State led 69-60 with 5:47 left, but a 3-pointer from Dolphins' freshman guard Kalos Evans (Bronx, N.Y.) and two free-throws by junior guard Raiquis Harris (Albany, N.Y.) quickly cut the deficit to 69-65. After a layup from FSC sophomore guard Joseph Santoro (Levittown, N.Y.), Mount Saint Vincent used a 9-0 run to take a three-point advantage, 74-71, with 2:25 remaining. On Farmingdale State's next possession, a 3-pointer by Graham knotted the game at 74-74.
Neither team would score over the final 2:11 as the game went into overtime.
In the first OT, Farmingdale State trailed 80-76 but used four straight points from senior guard Ali Mableton (Brentwood, N.Y.) to tie the game. After Mount Saint Vincent went 1-for-2 at the foul line on their next possession, FSC junior forward Jermaine Fraser (Valley Stream, N.Y.) and Mableton each knocked down a pair of free-throws to go up 84-81. Harris would hit a free-throw before registering a layup to even the score at 84-84 heading into the second overtime period.
With 2:29 left in the second OT and Farmingdale State in front 91-89, Graham produced two free-throws to put the Rams up by four. The Dolphins responded with two Evans free-throws to once again cut the deficit to two, 93-91. On Farmingdale State's next possession, Graham knocked down a 3-pointer off the feed from junior guard Chaz Platt (Jamaica, N.Y.) to give FSC a five-point lead, 96-91, with 1:36 on the clock.
Over the final minute, the Rams held Mount Saint Vincent to just two points, while Graham and Platt combined for six free-throws as FSC went on for the double overtime victory, 102-93.
Graham finished with a career-high 31 points as he shot 14-for-15 from the foul line. The 14 free-throws tied a school record that was set by Farmingdale State Hall of Famer Kenny McMillan in 2006. Graham went 2-for-2 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free-throw line as he recorded 11 points in just the 2OT period alone. Riefenstahl finished with 20 points (8-14 FG), 12 rebounds and three blocks for his fifth straight double-double, while Mableton and Platt tallied 14 and 10 points, respectively.
For Mount Saint Vincent, the trio of senior forward Jason Barrera (Elmsford, N.Y.) (25 points), Harris (24 points) and Evans (22 points) combined to score 71 of the Dolphins 93 points.
The Rams next travel to Purchase College for a conference game on Thursday, January 10th at 8:00 p.m.
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