USMMA - 77; Farmingdale State - 73
KINGS POINT, N.Y. | Senior forward Tre Riggins (Baldwin, N.Y.) scored 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting Saturday afternoon at Liebertz Gymnasium for the Farmingdale State College men's basketball team, which fell in Skyline Conference action at host U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 77-73.
Riggins led the visiting Rams (10-5, 5-1 Skyline) with six rebounds and a two blocked shots, while classmate Aaron Davis (Valley Stream, N.Y.) had a breakout performance off the bench with a season-best 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a 4-of-5 mark beyond the 3-point arc. Senior forward Nick Hurowitz (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) contributed 14 points for FSC, with freshman point guard Michael Notias (Manhasset, N.Y.) chipping in with eight points on 4-of-6 shooting and three assists.
FSC scored the opening nine points of the match-up over the first four minutes of play, including a conventional 3-point play by Riggins, before the Mariners (6-9, 4-2) punched back with an 11-4 spurt to take their first lead of the afternoon at 16-15 with 9:40 left. The two teams combined for two tied scores and four lead changes in the opening frame, with the Rams holding a 40-34 lead at halftime after a flush by Riggins and two free throws by junior point guard Jevon Santos (Elmont, N.Y.) in the final 46 seconds.
Riggins tallied Farmingdale State's first seven points of the second stanza, including a lay-in that put his team in front, 47-40, more than three minutes into the resumption of play. The Rams then went nearly six minutes between field goals, before Davis's first of four trifectas gave his side a 52-51 edge with 10:44 left. After the teams swapped the lead two more times over the next three possessions apiece, Notias later scored on back-to-back possessions to push the visitors ahead, 73-67, with 3:09 showing on the clock. From there, USMMA registered the final 10 points of the game to secure the victory.
Head coach Brendan Twomey's Rams are back in action Tuesday night (Jan. 17), when they play host to Maritime College in a 7 p.m. start.