ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. - Considering how much had gone wrong, the fact that Bard College was still in position to win Wednesday night's game against Purchase College with five minutes left was fortunate.

Those last five minutes, however, became too much to overcome, and Bard lost its home opener, 57-49.

Bard fell behind by 10 in the first half, then got it all back, the run completed with a half-court buzzer-beater by Bianka Bell to make it 28-28 at the break. The Raptors had 15 turnovers in the first 20 minutes and were 2-for-12 from beyond the three-point line, so a tie at halftime was not too hard to swallow.

Purchase put together a little burst in the first few minutes of the second half to push the lead to nine, 42-33, with 12:27 left, but Bard responded again. The Raptors cut it to two with 10 minutes left, only to see Purchase push it back to seven, then cut it to two again, 49-47, on a layup by Bell with 5:27 left.

But Bard only scored two points the rest of the way, and none in the last 1:49. Purchase freshman Michelle Rupelli (Harlem, NY) made six consecutive foul shots in the final 24 seconds to put the game away.

In the end, 29 turnovers, and Purchase's 29 points off of those turnovers, negated Bard's huge rebounding advantage (48-27). 

Purchase (2-4) got 16 points and five steals apiece from Elizabeth Osowiecki (Tuckahoe, NY) and Allison Haugh (New City, NY).

Bard (2-2) got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Bianka Bell. Tytravia Riley finished with 11 points, 19 rebounds, four steals and a block, but she was held without a point in the second half. Gabriela Piercy added nine points and four rebounds, and Annie Kissel had seven points, six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.

The Raptors get right back on the court on Thursday night at Albany Pharmacy.