The Old Westbury Panthers faced a tough road test on the night of February 5th, as they traveled to Mount Saint Vincent for a 6:00 PM men’s basketball conference game. The Panthers, who entered the game with a conference victory against Mount Saint Mary’s, were looking to keep the momentum going against the Dolphins, but after a competitive contest, they ultimately fell short, losing 82-76. Despite their efforts, Old Westbury’s turnovers and missed opportunities in the closing minutes allowed Mount Saint Vincent to secure the victory.
A Competitive Start, but the Panthers struggled to maintain momentum. The game began with Joel Ofori winning the tip-off for Old Westbury. Chris Smith quickly made his mark by hitting the first basket of the game from deep 3-point range, giving the Panthers an early lead. However, the Dolphins quickly answered, and both teams went back and forth for much of the first half. At the 7-minute mark, the game was tied at 12-12, as both teams displayed solid shooting performances.
Old Westbury struggled to keep pace towards the end half of the first period, as Mount Saint Vincent pulled ahead. With just under 3 minutes remaining in the half, the Dolphins had extended their lead to 41-31, with Old Westbury trailing by 10 points. Despite a late surge from the Panthers, the half ended with Mount Saint Vincent holding a 46-37 lead.
Several Panthers had solid individual performances in the first half. Joel led the team with 7 points on 3-of-5 shooting. Amadi Lee Kane also contributed 6 points, going 3-of-6 from the field. Zion Williams had 6 points as well, shooting 2-of-5, including a strong 2-of-3 performance from behind the arc. Despite solid shooting percentages Old Westbury hitting 45.7% from the field and Mount Saint Vincent shooting 45% the Panthers were undone by their turnovers. Old Westbury committed 9 turnovers in the first half compared to just 3 for the Dolphins, and Vincent capitalized by scoring 8 points off those turnovers, while Old Westbury only managed 2.
The second half began with a quick burst from Old Westbury. Jamari started the half with 2 made free throws, followed by a defensive rebound and an assist to Joel, which made it 41-46. The Panthers came out with renewed energy, going on an 8-3 run to close the gap to 51-48. Zion was instrumental in this stretch, recording back-to-back assists one to Amadi and the other to Kellen Leakes, who found his shooting rhythm in the second half, starting 2-of-3. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, the Panthers had fought their way back and briefly took the lead, 62-61, after a well-timed assist from Zion to Michael Obi.
However, the lead was short-lived, as Mount Saint Vincent regained the advantage with 5:43 remaining in the game. In the final stretch, Old Westbury’s inability to protect the ball and execute under pressure hurt them. Costly turnovers allowed the Dolphins to pull away, and despite a valiant effort, the Panthers were unable to recover. The game ended with a final score of 82-76 in favor of Mount Saint Vincent.
Despite the loss, several players had standout performances for the Panthers. Michael Obi had an impressive 11 points and 2 rebounds on 5-of-8 shooting, including 1-of-1 from 3-point range off the bench. Joel contributed another double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 5-of-9 from the field. Zion also finished with a double-double, tallying 10 points and 12 assists while shooting 3-of-10 from the field and 2-of-4 from 3-point range. Kellen added 18 points, despite his struggles in the first half, and shot 4-of-11 from beyond the arc. Jamari and Amadi struggled to make their usual impact, as Jamari finished with 9 points on 3-of-8 shooting, while Amadi scored 9 points on 4-of-8 shooting and had 6 rebounds,7 assists.
The game saw 8 ties and 7 lead changes. However, the turnovers were a significant issue for Old Westbury throughout the game. In the second half, Old Westbury shot 46.7% from the field and 44.7% from 3-point range, while Mount Saint Vincent shot just 36.4% from the field and 21.3% from behind the arc. Despite these statistical advantages, Old Westbury’s 17 turnovers compared to 6 for Mount Saint Vincent proved costly. Another key factor in the game was Mount Saint Vincent’s strong bench play, as they outscored Old Westbury’s bench 36-23. The Panthers will need to improve their bench production moving forward to remain competitive in conference play.
The Panthers showed resilience in their comeback attempt, but Mount Saint Vincent’s ability to capitalize on mistakes and maintain control late in the game secured them the win. Looking ahead, Old Westbury will need to focus on limiting turnovers and improving their execution in high-pressure situations to secure future victories in conference play. Next up for the Panthers is another tough conference away game against Saint Joseph’s University Long Island who are 7-4 in conference play, on February 8th.
