RIVERDALE, NY - The CMSV men's basketball team took on Skyline Conference foe Purchase College on Tuesday night, falling 73-67 to the Panthers dropping the Dolphins record to 7-8 overall and 6-4 in conference play.
Freshman
Trevor Johnson led the Dolphins on the offensive end, going off for a career high 22 points, on 7-of-10 shooting from 3-point land.
Jamir Ferebee chipped in with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists and
Mike Mulligan notched his first career double-double with 14 points and a career high 11 rebounds.
CMSV struggled mightily shooting the ball in the first half, going 6-for-28 from the field en route to only 18 first half points, their lowest point total for a half this season.
Despite the poor shooting, the Dolphins defense held Purchase to 29% shooting and forced 10 turnover and only trailed 25-18 after the first 20 minutes of play.
CMSV opened the 2nd half and cut the lead down to one, less than four minutes into play on back-to-back layups by
Matthew Sowah and a three from Johnson.
Over the course of play for the next five minutes both teams would trade baskets but the Panthers would go on a mini run to take an eight point lead at 42-34 with 12:17 to go.
Over the next four minutes, the three point shot would get the Dolphins back into the game as the team would make their next four 3's, including back-to-back 3's by Ferebee and Johnson to tie the game at 50 with 7:43 remaining.
Johnson would strike again, making his 6th three of the half a little more than two minutes later to give the Dolphins their first lead of the game at 53-52.
Purchase would regain the lead and secure their lead on back-to-back possessions, Taylor Foster hit a layup in the lane to put his team up five, but then Ferebee answered with a lay-in of his own but on the Panthers next possession, Nicholas Jackson hit a three to put his team up six.
The Dolphins couldn't connect on their ensuing possession and Purchase would go 10-of-12 from the free throw line over the final 1:10 of the game to secure the 73-67 lead.
CMSV returns to action Saturday at 1pm, when they will take on Sarah Lawrence College in the Sharp Center.