Box Score Gameday Program

OLD WESTBURY, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - The SUNY College of Old Westbury women's basketball team avenged an earlier loss to Farmingdale State with a 60-55 victory over the visiting Rams Thursday evening from the Clark Athletic Center in a Skyline Conference matchup.  The Panthers recorded their seventh straight victory as they upped their record to 11-6 overall, 6-2 in league action.  The loss moved Farmingdale State to 6-9 on the season and 4-3 in conference play.

DeAndra Scott led the hosts with her second straight double-double and seventh of the season, finishing with 17 points and 17 rebounds, of which 11 boards were pulled off the defensive glass.   Raven Price recorded a career-high with 16 points.  She made 5-of-6 shots from the perimeter and went 6-of-8 from the charity stripe as Clarissa Gallagher chipped in with 14 points, shooting 4-of-9 from downtown.   For the game, Old Westbury shot 37 percent from the floor.

Farmingdale State was led Nicky Young, who tallied a game-high 19 points and totaled 10 rebounds.  Nikita Green added 12 points and dished out five assists and Sioban Purvis finished with eight points.  Farmingdale State finished the night shooting 30 percent from the perimeter.

After a first half plagued by turnovers and shooting woes by both teams, it was a chess match fight to the finish in the second stanza as each squad made multiple surges to keep the game within reach.

In the final five minutes of regulation, Old Westbury went on a 7-1 spurt extending their lead to eight, 52-44, with 3:34 remaining in regulation.   Three Price free throws and a Gallagher triple highlighted the Panthers' run.  The eight-point Old Westbury cushion was the largest lead of the night for either squad. 

Farmingdale State thwarted Old Westbury's rally by going on a 9-2 run of its own, which was capped off by a Young three-pointer.   Young's trey sliced Old Westbury's lead to one, 54-53 with 54 seconds remaining.   On the ensuing Old Westbury possession, Young grabbed the defensive rebound off a missed jumper by Scott and proceeded to dribble the ball up the court.  Price made a pivotal defensive play when she stripped Young and two seconds later made a layup giving Old Westbury a 56-53 advantage with 33 seconds shown on the scoreboard.    In the closing seconds, Old Westbury converted on four straight free throws to seal the win.

The Rams started the second-half on a 7-0 spurt, courtesy of a Christina Merrill trey  and a Young three-point play, that gave Farmingdale State a 24-19 lead with 17:03 to play.   Scott responded for the Panthers by scoring the games next six points, putting Old Westbury back in front, 25-24, with 16:22 on the clock.  After a Merrill three regained the lead for Farmingdale State, 27-25, Gallagher made consecutive triples 34 seconds apart, giving Old Westbury a 31-27 advantage with 14:50 on the scoreboard.

Nikki Alexander's jumper at the 9:00 minute mark gave the Panthers a six-point edge, but Young ignited a 6-0 Rams' run scoring four of her 22 points to knot the game at 39-39 with 6:59 remaining.  Price broke the tie with a fast-break layup and a Scott two-pointer gave Old Westbury a 43-39 lead with 5:50 left. 

“BATTLE OF THE SUNY PANTHERS” SHOWDOWN IS UP NEXT: Old Westbury returns to the hardwood looking to keep its winning streak going when they host the Purchase College Panthers on Saturday, January 26 in a Skyline Conference matchup from the Clark Athletic Center.  Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. in Old Westbury, New York.

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