Manhattan – Despite being the top seed in the CUNYAC championship the Lehman College men's basketball team lost to #3 seed and defending CUNYAC champs, College of Staten Island 77-75, in a game played at City College on Friday. The loss ends the team's 14-game winning streak and drops their record to 22-5 overall.
Lehman prevailed in their two regular-season contests, winning by six in overtime on Staten Island and setting down the Dolphins by one point at home later in the year. This time, the Lightning trailed by as many as 12, their biggest deficit of the season, but fought back to tie the game three different times in the closing minutes before finally succumbing.
Lehman jumped out to a 5-2 lead as
Mylo Mitchell and
Clinton Akalonu recorded block shots early. The Akalonu rejection led to a layup from
Luis Hernandez and a three-pointer from
Andrew Utate made the score 5-2. From there, CSI took control and used a 17-7 run to build a 19-12 lead. At the 9:02 mark, Tevon Bennet came off the bench and gave the Lightning a jolt. The guard scored a quick bucket and grabbed a rebound when Lehman was getting killed on the glass.
Down 27-18 with 8:27 left, the Lightning used a 7-0 run to get within two points. Hernandez opened the run with a jumper. After the Bennet layup, Hernandez made a three to make the score 27-25. CSI pulled ahead from there and led at the half, 39-28. The 11 point, halftime deficit was the largest of the season for the Lightning.
Lehman opened the second half with a 7-0 run to pull within four, at 39-35. Utate made a foul shot just 0:09 into action.
Jean Marcial followed with a three-point-play. Utate capped the run with a three-pointer at 17:58. From there, the Dolphins respond with a seven point surge of their own and got the lead back to 11 points, at 48-37, with 16:27 on the clock. Half a minute later, CSI led by 51-39 when First Team CUNYAC All Star, Utate pulled the Lightning within 51-48 by hitting three-pointers on three consecutive possessions. Utate was 6-8 from behind the three-point line in the game. Still trailing by three points with 14:31 remaining, Lehman committed five straight fouls before making a basket.
CSI eventually got the lead up to 12 points three different times, the final time at 7:33. Down 67-55, Mitchell sank a free throw to make the score 67-56. A minute and a half later, Mitchell made his only three of the game and Lehman was within 8, 67-59. Hernandez followed with a three point play and the score was 69-62. Hernandez stole the ensuing possession and took it back for a layup making the score 69-64 with 4:44 left. Two more foul shots from Hernandez made the score 69-66. After an Akalonu foul shot pulled Lehman within two, a Marcial steal and layup tied the score at 69-all with 3:46 left. CSI scored the next five points to go ahead, 74-69. Utate keeps the Lightning close with a three-pointer inside of a minute. Down 74-72, Lehman tries to steal the inbounds pass, but is forced to foul. The Dolphins convert both and lead 76-72 with 0:13 left. Mitchell takes the inbounds pass and dribbles all the way in for a layup and foul. He misses the foul shot and Lehman trailed, 76-74. Hernandez ends up on the line with 0:02 left and Lehman down two. He makes the first foul shot and misses the second. The Lightning foul and CSI makes one of two and hangs on for a 77-75 victory.
In the game, Hernandez shot 10-19 for a game-high 29 points and ten rebounds. Utate added 24 points. The team shot 14-29 from the foul line (48.3%), the lowest percentage of the year. The Lightning got out rebounded 50-37; the largest margin of difference this season. The Lightning were 2-1 on the year against the Dolphins and all three games were decided by a total of nine points.
The team ended the 2017-18 season as CUNYAC regular-season champions, a 22-5 season (which was the best under Coach Schulman) and a 14-game winning streak during the year. The team is now eligible for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, which will be announced on Monday.
