Farmingdale, N.Y. – The Lehman College men's basketball team lost a hard-fought, overtime tussle against Farmingdale State on Wednesday night, 89-86.  Three Lightning players finished in double-figures.  The team is now 2-2 on the season.
 
Andrew Utate, who led the team in scoring for the third-straight game, got Lehman on the board with a basket in the opening minute.  A Mylo Mitchell three-pointer nearly six minutes in made the score 12-5, Lightning.  Farmingdale State fought back and finally went ahead, 29-27, with a basket at 5:20.  The game was back-and-forth from then and eventually Lehman got a hoop from Jean Marcial with 0:57 left to put the Lightning up four.  They led at the half, 38-36. 
 
Lehman used an 8-2 run to build a 46-38 lead to open the second half.  The points came from Luis Hernandez, Mitchell and Utate.  The Rams would eventually tie the game at 55-55 with 14:05 left.  From there, a bucket from Marcial and three from Tevon Bennett put the Lightning up 60-55.  Lehman's largest lead in the game was 12 points, when Hernandez finished a fast break with a bucket.  The Rams came back and took a two-point lead with 0:44 left.
 
Trailing 81-79 with 0:40 left, Bennett got the possession back for Lehman with a steal.  On the ensuing fast break, Marcial drove and kicked it to Mitchell for the game-tying basket.  The game went into overtime even at 81-all.  Marcial scored the first two points in overtime, but the Rams went on to win, 89-86.
 
Utate finished with 20.  Marcial had 15 while Mitchell totaled 14, including the tying basket at the end of regulation.  Clinton Akalonu grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.  As a team, Lehman shot 47.3% from the field and forced the Rams into 16 turnovers.
 
The Lehman College men's basketball team returns to action on Friday, December 1 when the open CUNYAC play at CCNY.  The jump ball is slated for 7PM.