NEWBURGH, N.Y. – The Maritime Basketball Team collected its second straight win on Saturday afternoon as the Privateers defeated the Mount St. Mary Knights by the score of 91-86 from the Kaplan Center.
 
The 91-point total is the first time that Maritime eclipsed the 90-point plateau since last season's 93-66 win over Alfred State on November 21.
 
Having a career afternoon was sophomore Patrick MacDonald (Buffalo, N.Y./Canisius), who trumped his previous career-high of 22 points by eight, with a new career-best 30-point effort in the victory. The 30 points was Maritime's first 30-point performance since T'Vaughn Gibson (Freeport, Bahamas/Sunland Baptist Academy) had a 32-point game against NYU-Poly over two years ago on February 1.
 
The inside game was the focal point of Maritime's offense as Isaiah Hayes (Jamaica, N.Y./Queens Teaching) tied his season-high of 19 points, and collected his second-straight 19-point performance.
 
Freshman Michael Walker (Bayport, N.Y./Bayport-Blue Point) added 12 points off the bench, one point shy of his season best. Sophomore John Liccese (Bronx, N.Y./Cardinal Spellman) recorded double figures for the 19th time this season, with 10 points in the effort, including eight in the second half.
 
Junior Brendon Halligan (Durham, N.Y./Cairo-Durham) had nine points, while classmate Tim Hoch (Coventry, R.I./Fishers Island (N.Y.)) picked up four. Rookie Pat Conway (Pearl River, N.Y./Pearl River) also collected four points, while sophomore Akil Spruill (Queens, N.Y./Holy Cross) dropped a three-point basket to cap off the scoring for the Privateers.
 
As a team, Maritime outrebounded the Knights by a 42-34 margin, with MacDonald collecting 16 boards, one shy of his career-best. Hayes pulled down nine rebounds, falling one shy of his seventh double-double on the year.
 
Both teams were evenly matched through the opening period with Maritime eventually breaking through to take a seven-point advantage with 12:02 left in the first half. Hayes knocked down a layup, followed by a three-pointer by Walker after an offensive board by MacDonald.
 
Conway and Spruill got the Privateer lead back up to seven on two separate occasions, but the Knights scored the next eight points to take a one-point lead. Maritime was able to wrestle the lead back, but a late three-point basket by Mount St. Mary sent the Knights into the locker room ahead by two at 39-37.
 
In the second half, Mount St. Mary stormed ahead by a 44-37 score with five points in the opening 53 seconds. Maritime kept it close on three-pointers by Halligan and Liccese. The Knights then went on a 20-8 rally to take their largest lead of the game at 66-51 with 11:32 left in regulation.
 
Needing the victory, the Privateers refused to roll over and began the uphill battle despite time working against them. Hoch connected on a layup, followed by a free throw to complete the three-point play, Walker drained a three, followed by solo free throws from Hayes and Liccese.
 
Down by seven, Maritime converted on its next two possessions on back-to-back layups by Hayes to trim the deficit to three. MacDonald took a pass from Hayes to pull the Privateers within one, then made the and-one free throw to tie the game at 66 with 6:43 left.
 
Tied at 68, MacDonald took over as he scored the next four points in the game, followed by three unanswered from the Knights. Maritime continued to hold onto its slim lead before MacDonald gave the team some breathing room with four more unanswered points to make the score 80-73 in favor of the Privateers.
 
The Knights cut their late deficit to a bucket with 30 seconds left, as the Privateers were still up by an 85-83 score. Halligan made two from the line, and after a point by Mount St. Mary, Liccese drained two more from the stripe to give Maritime a five-point lead again.
 
After the sides exchanged several more free throws through the closing seconds of the game, Maritime had hung on for the five-point victory.
 
Maritime (7-16, 7-11 Skyline) will look to keep its strong play of late going and take on the St. Joseph's (Bklyn) Bears this Wednesday evening for a 7 p.m. start from the Hill Center in Brooklyn.
 
Mount St. Mary (7-16, 5-13 Skyline) will close out the home portion of its schedule on Wednesday, as the Knights welcome in the Purchase Panthers for an 8 p.m. tip.