Purchase, NY - The John Jay men's basketball team returned to winning ways on the road Thursday night. The Bloodhounds capped off a five-game road stand with 48-47 win in Westchester County before returning to The Doghouse next week to close out 2023.

Three Bloodhounds (Elijah Holmes, Daniel Reyes and Garrison Watkins) finished in double-digits in the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a slow start for both sides, the Bloodhounds took their first lead of the game and Daniel Reyes and Jordan Evelyn found twine on back-to-back trips down the floor. Both teams struggled to establish their offensive rhythm, trading baskets down the stretch.

With just under eight minutes remaining in the first half Watkins picked the pocket of Purchase's Rashid Nikiema and flashed to the basket to put the Bloodhounds up by three. Isaac Homes notched the steal again on the next possession and fed Watkins to give the visitors a five-point advantage, its largest of the half.
John Jay scored the final four points of the half to secure a 22-18 halftime advantage.

The Bloodhounds picked up where they left off in the final 20 minutes as Evelyn found Reyes under the basket to extend the lead to six points in the first 2 minutes. Shooting nearly 40% from the field for the majority of the second frame, John Jay etched its first double-digit advantage of the day, 44-33, as Watkins broke double-digit scoring in the final seven minutes.

Victory looked assured into the final minute of play despite Purchase cutting the Bloodhound lead to eight, but the Panthers found a late offensive surge. Purchase's Raquon Youmans hit his first triple of the day with just 43 seconds remaining, drawing a shooting foul from Elijah Holmes in the process. HIs four-point play cut the John Jay lead to just three points. Youmans came up big for the Panthers again after Jamir Stewart lost the ball on the ensuing possession and Purchase's deficit was down to just one point.

Purchase would have the final possession of the half with just five seconds on the clock, but Mahamadou Nimaga's three-point attempt was off the mark. The Bloodhounds escaped with a 48-47 win.

Elijah Holmes finished the game as the leading scorer for both squads, closing with 12 points (6-8 FG) and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

NEXT UP: The Bloodhounds close out 2023 in the Doghouse on Dec. 21, facing Houghton at 5:00 p.m.