OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. --- (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) SUNY Old Westbury men's basketball snapped its two-game skid Wednesday evening with a 79-76 Skyline Conference home triumph over the Maritime College Privateers (9-11, 5-6 Skyline) inside Clark Athletic Center. With the win, the Panthers (12-8, 8-3 Skyline) improves to a 17-1 mark against the Privateers dating back to the 2009-10 season.

In the game's opening 1:58, Old Westbury claimed a 7-3 lead after a Pedro Marquez jumper. Maritime pulled within two points at the 17:13 mark off a Griffin McNally three-pointer, 10-8. Marquez and Charles Wingate scored the Panthers' next nine points during the span of 3:29 to grow a 19-10 advantage with 13:44 remaining. From 13:27 to 4:51, Nick Ovanessian headlined Maritime's 10-5 run by scoring five points to trim the deficit to four, 24-20. 12 seconds later, Old Westbury erupted with a 14-4 spurt in the remaining 4:39 led by Justin Alleyne-Washington's eight points to build the double-digit lead and send the 38-24 game into intermission.

Jordan Johnson-Rader sank a free-throw 40 seconds into the second-half to extend the Panther lead to a game-high 15 points, 39-24. Maritime remained composed over the next 14:15 outscoring Old Westbury 35-20 to knot the game at 62 which was capped by a four-point play by Brendan McGovern. Cameron Winston knocked down a jumper with three minutes left to ignite a much needed 11-5 run for Old Westbury to push its lead back up to six, 73-67. Brennan Whelan scored four-straight points for the Privateers to make it a one possession game, 73-71, with 31 seconds showing on the second-half clock. Winston, Jonathan Jamieson and Marquez each poured in a pair of freebies for Old Westbury's six-point advantage, 79-73, before Mike Regan connected from deep with .7 seconds left to settle the 79-76 final.
 
Marquez led all scorers with 26 points (7-of-13 FG, 11-of-13 FT) to go with five rebounds and four assists for Old Westbury. Alleyne-Washington followed with 14 points (4-of-10 FG, 2-of-4 3FG, 4-of-8 FT) and seven rebounds. Wingate chipped in 14 points (4-of-6 3FG), six rebounds and a game-high four steals while Jamieson added 11 points (3-of-6 FG, 5-of-6 FT) and five rebounds.
 
Whelan finished with 18 points (8-of11 FG, 2-of-2 FT) and seven rebounds to pace Maritime. Jaylin Gray added 17 points (3-of-6 FG, 6-of-8 FT) and six rebounds while Regan contributed 15 points (5-of-12 3FG) and two steals.

In the end, Old Westbury shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field, 38.9 percent (7-of-18) from beyond the arc and 70.3 percent (26-of-37) from the free-throw line.  By comparison, Maritime connected on 41.9 percent (26-of-62) from the floor, 40 percent (12-of-30) from three-point territory and 70.6 percent (12-of-17) from the charity stripe.  Old Westbury won the boards battle, 43-35, scoring 12 second-chance points off 13 offensive rebounds. Old Westbury outplayed Maritime in steals (7-2), fastbreak points (18-10) and bench points (13-9). Maritime held the edge in assists (14-11) and points in the paint (26-22) while scoring 14 points off 13 Panther miscues. Both teams drew even in blocks (2-2).

UP NEXT:
Old Westbury hits the road to Patchogue, New York on Saturday (Feb. 8) for a Skyline Conference battle versus St. Joseph's College (L.I.) Golden Eagles (5-14, 0-11 Skyline) at 1 p.m. inside Danzi Center. The Panthers will enter Saturday's matchup 13-3 against St. Joseph's since the 2012-13 campaign.

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