RIVERDALE, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) –  The SUNY College at Old Westbury men's basketball team held on for an 82-79 Skyline Conference road victory Monday evening against the Mount Saint Vincent Dolphins from the Peter Jay Sharp Center.  Old Westbury won for the fifth straight game, improving to 9-2 on the season and 4-0 in conference play while Mount Saint Vincent fell to 3-8 and 1-3.

At the end of the first half the game was tied at 37 all due in part to eight ties and two lead changes. Mount Saint Vincent went up early when Sean Caputo hit a three pointer to make it a 15-8 game with 13:48 remaining.  Kerel Mitchell and Tyrik Tucker combined to score Old Westbury's next nine points in a 9-2 run to knot the game at 17 all.  Mount Saint Vincent countered with a 6-0 run to take a 23-17 lead.  Old Westbury replied with a 12-2 run from 9:37 to 5:45 to jump ahead 29-25.  Three more ties and D'Andre McPatter's layup with six seconds left sent Mount Saint Vincent into the half tied at 37. 

Old Westbury scored first in the final 20 minutes as Tucker sank a jumper 13 seconds into the half.  Moments later, Nat Vaughan's layup capped an 11-2 run to open the half, giving Old Westbury a 48-39 lead.  Tucker's free throws with 12:46 showing on the clock gave Old Westbury a 54-44 advantage and Rashawn McCarthy's layup with 9:14 remaining put Old Westbury up 63-52.  Tucker again put Old Westbury up by double digits with a layup at the 4:05 mark for a 73-62 advantage.  Mount Saint Vincent put together a 7-0 run from 3:54 to 3:14 to pull within four points, 73-69.  Old Westbury answered with a 6-0 run to go up 78-69 while Mount Saint Vincent closed out the final 2:11 of the game with a 10-4 run to fall 82-79. 

Tyrik Tucker's 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting from the field led all scorers.  He added seven rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal in 38 minutes of action.  Kerel Mitchell followed with 19 points and four steals, while Rashawn McCarthy (14 points) and Josh Hill (13 points) scored in double digits.  Omari Trebuse added five assists and three steals and McCarthy and Nat Vaughan chipped in with two steals.  

Sean Caputo came off the bench with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds in 31 minutes to lead Mount Saint Vincent.  James Zuccaro scored 14 points and Shaquille Cunningham tallied 12 points, 10 rebounds and two steals.  D'Andre McPhatter contributed 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.

Old Westbury shot 51.6 percent from the field (32-62), 28.6 percent from three point range (4-14) and 60.9 percent from the free throw line (14-23) while Mount Saint Vincent hit 43.1 percent from the floor (31-72), 25 percent from beyond the arc (6-24) and 73.3 percent from the charity stripe (11-15).  Mount Saint Vincent won the boards battle, 52-27, including 21 offensive boards converted into 16 second chance points.  Old Westbury scored 27 points off 22 Mount Saint Vincent turnovers.

PURCHASE PANTHERS UP NEXT FOR OLD WESTBURY: Old Westbury returns to the hardwood for a Skyline Conference road battle on Wednesday (Jan. 9) evening, taking on the Purchase Panthers in Purchase, New York.  Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.      

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