PATCHOGUE, N.Y. – The Lehman College women's basketball team won its season opening game on Tuesday, beating host St. Joseph's College of Long Island, 91-64. Lehman is now 1-0, while SJC is 0-3.

Lehman was never really tested in the game, and trailed only once, 2-1, in the first minute of the game. Lehman would trail for just nine seconds total, until sophomore Amani Lightbourne (Elmsford, N.Y./Alexander Hamilton) hit a jumper at the 19:17 mark. Lightbourne was the star for Lehman on the night, as she scored 19 of her 35 total points in the first half.

Lehman used an 11-4 run midway through the first half to blow the game open, and took a 50-28 lead at the half.

In the second half, the Lightning led by as many as 31 points, at 80-49, en route to the victory.

For the game, Lightbourne connected on 10 of her 18 field goal attempts, and was 15 of 17 from the free throw line. She added 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of action.

She was one of four Lehman players in double figures in scoring. She was joined by junior Shalaya Nieves (Camden, Del./Caesar Rodney), who had 23, freshman Amely Del Rosario (Bronx, N.Y./John F. Kennedy), with 14, and classmate Genesis Liberato (Santo Domingo, D.R./Liceo Ramon Matias Mella), with 11. Nieves also had a game-high 13 rebounds.

Lehman's defense was vital in the game, as Lehman forced 26 SJC turnovers. Lehman garnered 29 points from those miscues.

The Lightning head into a weekend tournament in Allentown, Penn., at Cedar Crest College. The Lightning will face St. Joseph's College of Brooklyn on Saturday, November 23, then either the hosts or NYU-Poly on Sunday.