KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Feb. 4, 2026) – The USMMA men's basketball team lost its home Skyline Conference showdown with Purchase College, 74-67, on Wednesday night at the Liebertz Gymnasium. The defeat drops the Mariners' record to 7-13 (4-7 Skyline), while the Panthers improve to 8-13 (6-6 Skyline) with the win.
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For the second-straight game, four players scored in double-digits for the Mariners, as sophomore
Mason Lavergne (Baton Rouge, La.) led KP with 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting, while classmate
Tim Barton (Waldorf, Md.) added 17 points and just missed out on a double-double with a game-high nine rebounds. Freshman
Jack Flannery (McKinney, Texas) chipped in with 13 points (nine coming on three 3-pointers) and fellow plebe
Richard Sykes Jr. (Tampa, Fla.) drained 12 points.
Merchant Marine set a strong tone early, getting out in front in the opening minutes behind baskets from Flannery, Lavergne and Zalescik to build a 9-3 lead, with Barton and Flannery helping create extra chances and turnovers defensively. Purchase answered with a push that erased the cushion and turned it into a tight, back-and-forth half, but KP carried momentum into the break when Sykes drilled a late three to send USMMA to halftime up 25-23.
Purchase came out of the locker room with a quick run to grab the lead and stretch it to multiple possessions as USMMA battled turnovers early in the half. The Mariners briefly steadied, as Barton's three tied it at 43-43, but Purchase responded immediately and then used a spurt built around stops and transition scores to extend the margin to 56-44.
Kings Point made one last push in the final minute: Flannery hit a three to cut it to 69-63, then Zalescik forced a turnover and Sykes converted at the rim to make it 69-65. USMMA got it to 72-67 on a late Barton finish after another steal, but Purchase closed it out at the line in the final seconds to seal the road win.
Purchase turned the game with its shooting after halftime, finishing at 43.6 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from three while shooting nearly 70 percent in the second half, compared to USMMA's 51.0 percent overall and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc. The Mariners were out-rebounded 34-26 and limited to four second-chance points, while Purchase capitalized on turnovers (16 points off turnovers) and a decisive free-throw edge (14-of-21 to 8-of-14), factors that offset KP's advantage in points in the paint (34-20).
The Panthers were led by Trey Skeete with a game-high 23 points thanks to seven made three-pointers, while Chris Hunter added 15 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. All five starters scored in double-figures for Purchase, as Desmond Ward added 13 points, Maurice Western had 11, and Sean Holzman finished with 10 points.
Up next, Merchant Marine will host St. Joseph's-Long Island this Saturday, Feb. 7, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Liebertz Gymnasium.
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