Box Score l Gameday Preview

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) – The SUNY College at Old Westbury men's basketball team earned a 64-63 non-conference victory Saturday afternoon on the road against The Lehman Lightning from New Roc City.  OW improves to 4-3 on the season while sending Lehman's record to 5-2. 

Old Westbury got on the board first with a three-pointer by Kerel Mitchell at the 16:32 mark.  Tavon McNair knocked down a jumper and Dayshawn Long sank a free-throw to give OW an early 6-0 lead   Mathias Raggiotto dropped in a layup for Lehman's first points.  Jamal Little drained a jumper with 8:54 left on the first half clock to extend Old Westbury's lead to 11 (20-9), its largest lead of the game.  Old Westbury took a 32-26 lead into the break after leading the entire half. 

Lehman scored 15 of the first 21 points in the second half to knot the game at 41 all with 13:21 remaining.  Raggiotto's jumper at 12:32 gave Lehman their first lead of the game.  Both teams went back-on-forth, with Old Westbury tying the game twice over the next couple of minutes until Lehman grabbed a 48-45 lead off Raggiotto's triple.  Lehman's advantage blossomed to as many as eight points with 5:43 showing on the clock.  OW responded with 15-7 run from 5:12 to 12 seconds remaining when Jamal Little hit free-throw to tie the game at 63.  Rashawn McCarthy sank the back-end of free-throws put OW ahead, 64-63.  Raggiotto was unable to connect on a three-pointer for Lehman as time expired.

Rashawn McCarthy scored 12 points to lead Old Westbury in scoring.  Tavon McNair and Jamal Little followed with 10 points each while Kerel Mitchell and Dayshawn Long both scored eight.  Matthew Duffy nabbed a game-high three steals and Omari Trebuse added two.  Curtis Leslie, Long and McCarthy led the squad with five rebounds.

Mathias Raggiotto led the Lightning with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.  Sebastian Pessoa shot 7-for-7 from the field to notch 16 points while Phil Ductan contributed 12.

OW shot 36.5 percent (23-63) from the field and hit 12-of-22 free-throw attempts.  Lehman connected on 46.3 percent (25-54) from the field and 10-of-18 from the line.  The Panthers scored eight points off of turnovers, forcing 18 turnovers.  Old Westbury won the boards battle, 40-39, holding a 16-10 advantage off the offensive glass, resulting in 11 second chance points. 

YORK CARDINALS UP NEXT FOR THE PANTHERS: The Panthers return to the hardwood for non-conference action on Thursday (Dec. 29) when they take on the York Cardinals in Old Westbury, New York.  Game time is set to tip at 2 p.m. inside the Clark Athletic Center.  

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