Box Score NEW YORK --- The Lehman College men's basketball team lost 80-64 to Baruch College in the semifinals of the CUNYAC Championship Tournament on Tuesday night at the Nat Holman Gymnasium on the City College of New York campus.
 
The Bearcats of Baruch (16-12), the fifth seed going into the tournament, advances to the finals of the CUNYAC Championships, where they will face the winner of the Brooklyn College / College of Staten Island game on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. The Lightning of Lehman (18-8), the number one overall seed, had gone into the tournament as the regular season conference championship and had defeated Baruch, the defending CUNYAC champion, twice. Lehman, earning a bye into the semifinals, had not played since last Tuesday.
 
"The layoff had nothing to do with it." Lehman head coach Steve Schulman said afterwards. "They were just better [than us] tonight. They hit their shots and hit them early. I felt that we played with energy, but we just struggled shooting the ball. We were settling for too many jumpers, not taking it to the rim and not getting to the foul line."
 
Senior Chaun Miller led Lehman with 21 points, ten rebounds and two steals. Senior Olando Minott contributed 17 points and pulled down five boards. Both players played 39 minutes of the game. Sophomore John Brens finished with 14 points and dished out six assists, while sophomore Andrew Utate came off the bench to add 12 points. Only four players scored for the Lightning. Lehman shot a season low 37.7 percent from the floor, and matched a season low in rebounds with 30.
 
Baruch freshman Doyin Isaac matched a career-high with 24 points, with 22 of those coming in the first half, to go along with four assists and three steals. Edward Roscigno scored 16 points on just eight shots, going four-of-six from behind the arc. Sophomore Chimaechi Ekekeugbor was a presence inside with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Baruch never trailed, shooting 49.1 percent from the floor.   
 
The Lightning endured a rough start, falling behind 8-0 as the Bearcats forced a slow pace, and it was nearly five minutes into the game before Lehman got on the board. Lehman made their adjustments, speeding up the game and embarking on a 12-5 run to pull to within one, a stretch capped off with a three-pointer from Minott with 12:20 remaining in the opening period. Baruch shot well for most of the first half, running the clock down and then making their shots despite the tough Lehman defense. The Bearcats would lead by as much as 12 after a three from Roscigno with 6:15 left. Once again, the Lightning adjusted, twice forcing Baruch into shot-clock violations as the fought their way back into the game. Lehman pulled to within five at the half with Miller hitting a three with 13 ticks remaining. Baruch led 42-37 at the break. Miller had the hot hand in the opening period for Lehman, scoring 17 points including four three-pointers. Isaac led all scorers with 22.
 
In the second half, Lehman quickly pulled to within two off a three-pointer from Utate. But Baruch came out strong on the defensive end, and the Lightning would get no closer. The Bearcats held Lehman to 32 percent shooting after the break, and just two of nine from behind the arc.