PURCHASE, N.Y. – Following a slow start in the first and trailing by as many as 11 points in the second, the Manhattanville College men's basketball team battled back to force overtime tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 5, in Skyline Conference play at home against Farmingdale State College. The Valiants outscored the Rams by eight in the second half to earn the extra five-minute period, but were unable to hold on to that momentum and fell to FSC 82-76.
 
Sophomore sharpshooter Jake Dunn (Staten Island, N.Y./Monsignor Farrell) starred for the Crimson and White (12-8, 7-4 Skyline) as he poured in a team- and career-high 21 points, which included a 6-of-12 shooting performance from beyond the arc. Additionally, junior Mike Granda (Monroe Township, N.J./St. Joseph) (4-of-9 from three) finished with 13 points, while reigning conference Rookie of the Week Khari Taylor (Bronx, N.Y./St. Raymond) notched his second-straight double-digit scoring performance with 12 points on a perfect night of shooting. The freshman forward was 4-of-4 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
 
Trailing by nine to the Rams (10-10, 6-5 Skyline) with just under seven minutes gone in the first, the Valiants stayed afloat before climbing back to within two points at 28-26 with 4:12 remaining until the break. However, Hunter Schenkel – the game's leading scorer with 26 points – hit the next, and only two, baskets of the final 2:32 of the half to make it an eight-point game at 35-26 following a pair of threes. Schenkel hit a three to start the second as well to make it an 11-point game.
 
Down by their largest deficit of the game, the Valiants used a pair of strong runs to make it competitive once again. They first made it a two-point game at 39-37 with 15:07 remaining in regulation using an 11-2 run, during which Dunn scored six points. Then, trailing by seven, Manhattanville went on an 8-0 run to take its first lead since the 18:49 mark of the first half, making it a 45-44 game with 12:32 left – seven of those eight points came from Granda, who sank two threes and a free throw.
 
However, it was Farmingdale State that once again took control of the game and eventually jumped out to yet another eight-point lead at 58-50 with 6:44 left. Slowly but surely, the Crimson and White clawed back into contention and closed out the half with a 17-9 advantage to tie it up at 67-67 with 00:19 left on the clock. Neither squad even attempted a shot for the remainder of regulation and to overtime we went. The period started well for the Valiants, as the home team even took a two-point lead at 71-69 with 3:27 remaining, but it was all Rams from that point on as the road squad emerged victorious following 45 minutes of play.
 
Manhattanville returns to the court this Saturday afternoon, Feb. 8, to host the second half of a home Skyline doubleheader against Mount Saint Mary College. The Valiants and Knights are scheduled to tipoff at 3:00 p.m., and the former is looking to sweep the season series against the latter, having already defeated Mount Saint Mary 74-52 in Newburgh, N.Y., back on Jan. 8.s