THROGGS NECK, NY – On Wednesday night, the Maritime College men's basketball team opened its home schedule with a matchup against Baruch.  The Privateers (0-2) trailed by one with 2:27 remaining, but the Bearcats (2-1) ended the game on an 11-1 run to notch a 79-68 victory at Riesenberg Gymnasium.

Baruch raced out to an 11-3 lead before Maritime used an 8-0 run to level the score.  After the Bearcats regained a four-point edge at 17-13, James O'Connell's (East Williston, NY) layup midway through the first half started an 8-1 rally that put the Privateers in front, 21-18.  It was 21-20 when Jake Devaney (Washingtonville, NY) sank a trey at the 6:08 mark to spark a 16-0 spurt that saw Maritime's advantage balloon to 37-20.  Baruch scored nine of the final 11 points in the half, though, to pull within 39-29 at intermission.

The Privateers began the second half with seven straight points to extend the margin back to 17 at 46-29.  However, the Bearcats responded with a 25-6 run to go ahead, 54-52.  Maritime tied it on a pair of Devaney foul shots before Baruch went on another 7-0 rally to open up a 61-54 cushion.  The Privateers came surging back and cut their deficit to 68-67 when Tyler Anderson (Smithtown, NY) hit two technical free throws with 2:27 left.  Maritime would get no closer, though, as the Bearcats got back-to-back layups before sinking five consecutive free throws down the stretch to seal the 79-68 win.

Devaney finished with 28 points, matching the second-highest total of his career.  Anderson tallied 13 points to go along with three steals, while Zion Williams (Indianapolis, IN) contributed 12 points and three assists.  Evan Block (Seaford, NY) paced Maritime with nine rebounds.  As a team, the Privateers committed just six turnovers.  Maritime shot a combined 31.6 percent (24-of-76) from the field, 19.4 percent (6-of-31) from long range, and 73.7 percent (14-of-19) at the charity stripe.

Peter Douvres led Baruch with 27 points.  He added six rebounds and four assists.  Leyi Adebayo just missed a double-double with 23 points and nine rebounds while also posting three assists and two blocks.  Jack Gordon, meanwhile, notched 15 points, five boards and four assists.  Nicholas Lam pulled down eight rebounds for the Bearcats, who went a combined 23-for-47 (48.9 percent) from the floor.  Baruch was 9-for-21 (42.9 percent) from downtown and 24-for-28 (85.7 percent) at the free throw line.

Up next for the Privateers is a 1 p.m. contest against John Jay (0-2) at Riesenberg Gymnasium on Saturday.  The teams have met every year since 2021-22, with Maritime winning the last four matchups.