December 18, 2004
Westfield State 85 Š Purchase College 45
WESTFIELD Š Junior point guard Bayete Gordon (Amherst, Mass.) totaled a game-high 19 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and two steals to lead the Westfield State menÕs basketball team to an 85-45 non-conference home victory over Purchase College of New York.
Westfield improved to 3-5 while Purchase is 5-4. Three of the OwlsÕ five losses have been to teams that are ranked in the top 25 nationally: Amherst, Springfield and Williams.
The Owls controlled the game from the outset, taking an early 13-2 lead and a 41-21 advantage at halftime. Westfield shot 56 percent from the field, including 64 percent in the second half.
In addition to directing the offense, the flashy 5-7 Gordon played big inside with his six rebounds and two blocked shots. Gordon shot 8-for-10 from the field.
Westfield sophomore guard Gavin Illangakooon (Ellington, Conn.) finished with 15 points, five rebounds and two steals. Reserve guard Andy Deffer (Beverly) played well for the second straight game with 14 points; he was 5-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-3 from 3-point range.
Also playing well off the bench for the Owls was freshman guard Steve Martins, a former standout at Westfield Voke. Martins contributed seven points, four assists and a team-high five steals.
Senior guard Akantude Henderson-Amare (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was the only player in double figures for Purchase with 13 points. The Panthers shot 23 percent from the field, including 3-for-22 from 3-point range.