Bard was home against Purchase College on Dec. 15 where the Panthers shot 56 percent from the field to build a lead, then held off Bard down the stretch with only four players on the court to earn a 65-57 victory.
The Panthers (4-6) were behind early, but a 15-2 run in the first half stole the momentum, and Purchase led, 33-23 at the break.
The lead ballooned to 20 just five minutes into the second, and it looked like the game was over. Bard responded with a 10-point run over the next 2½ minutes, however, and some of Purchase’s starters at the same time were collecting fouls.
Purchase sophomore Lineker St. Hilaire (Wyandanch, N.Y.), who scored 13 of her 15 points and made five of her seven steals in the first half, fouled out with 9:53 left in the game. Just over two minutes later, Jess Lindsay (Rochester, N.Y.) fouled out, going to the bench with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Even with those two out of the game, Bard struggled to cut into the lead, cutting the deficit to nine twice but never really getting the big stop or the big bucket.
With 1:58 left, senior Alexis Billups (Chester, N.Y.) fouled out, leaving the Panthers with nobody else to put out there. They’d have to play the last two minutes with four players.
Bard never got closer than seven the rest of way. Purchase’s four remaining players beat the press, made some foul shots and clung to the lead.
Lindsay (22 points) and St. Hilaire (15) were Purchase’s leading scorers, and Jalisa Fields (Bronx, N.Y.) added 13 points and 10 rebounds. Bard was led by Riley, who had 23 points and 20 rebounds. She entered the week as the Div. III national leader in rebounds per game with 17.5. Bard next travels to Skidmore to open Liberty League play on Jan. 4.
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