Top-Seeded Eagles Upset by #4 Purchase in Skyline Semi's

Patchogue, N.Y. – Fourth-seed Purchase College (14-13) upset top-seeded St. Joseph's College (21-4), 105-81, in the semifinal round of the Skyline Conference Tournament tonight.  The Panthers now advance to play the winner of Farmingdale State and Mount Saint Mary in the conference final on Saturday. 

Purchase's junior center Craig Davis led all scorers in the game with 29 points on 14-for-19 from the field.   The Panthers had six players reaching double figures in points for the game including Andre Nixon (14), John Presley (14), Amar Reynolds (13), DJ Smith (13) and Christopher Fazio (10).  Smith led all rebounders with 14 boards.

For St. Joseph's, Eric Klingsberg put up 19 points and Trey Black scored 18 to go along with seven assists.  Also in double figures for the Golden Eagles were Vincent Russo (15 points) Olivier Laurent (14) and Chris Jimenez (12).

In the game, Purchase outshot SJC with a blistering 64.7 % from the field while the home team shot only 36.7%.  Purchase started the game with a 9-2 run before the Eagles clawed back but the Panthers settled into a comfortable 51-34 lead at halftime.   The visitors never let the Eagles get closer than 14 points in the second half.

This loss marks the third conssecutive year that St. Joseph's has been outsed by Purchase in the Skyline Conference Tournament.

St. Joseph's will now await the decision of the NCAA and ECAC Tournament committees on Monday to see if they will continue their season in another post-season tournament.  SJC was ranked third in the in the latest NCAA Atlantic Regional rankings.