Dec 04, 2013
OLD WESTBURY, NY (www.OLDWESTBURYPANTHERS.com) - The SUNY College at Old Westbury men's basketball team won its home opener on Wednesday evening, when they dismissed the St. Joseph's-L.I. Golden Eagles 86-58 in a Skyline Conference matchup. With the win the Panthers improve to 5-2 (2-0 Skyline) on the season, while the Golden Eagles fall to 2-4 (1-1 Skyline).
Old Westbury struggled early, falling behind 15-10 in the game's opening six minutes, but in the first half's final eight minutes the Panthers turned it around. An 18-5 run erased the deficit and catapulted the Panthers into the lead—one they would carry into halftime. With a 37-31 advantage, the Panthers found themselves in the driver's seat when the buzzer sounded.Old Westbury picked up where they left off in the second half, opening with a 6-0 run and extending the lead to 12. Never letting up, the Panthers continued their second-half dominance and padded their lead with a 25-9 run, finishing the second half up 28 points en route to an 86-58 win.
The Panthers dominated off the bench, outscoring St. Joseph's 37-17 while also making a habit of punishing their opponents for making mistakes. St. Joseph's, who turned over the ball 18 times, gifted Old Westbury 21 points. Furthermore, the Panthers turned 24 offensive boards into 25 second-chance points.
With 14 team blocks, the Panthers—led by Mark Gjonlekaj and PJ Page, who registered five each—compiled their highest total since January 6, 2011, when the squad fired for 13 rejections versus Farmingdale State.
Leading the way for Old Westbury was Tyrik Tucker, who registered 30 points (16-17 FT) for the second consecutive game while also recording a career-high in rebounds with 19. The senior's double-double was the tenth of his career.
Al Alexander added 16 points of his own, and Ray Parker pitched in for 10, too.
For the Golden Eagles, Darryl Charles was top dog with 15 points, while Nick Gallina dished out a game-high six assists.
For the latest news on the Panthers, log on to www.oldwestburypanthers.com – the official site of Old Westbury athletics. Also, become a follower of the Panthers on Twitter (OW_Panthers) and "LIKE" Us on Facebook (Old Westbury Panthers Athletics / Old Westbury Athletics Alumni).