NEW YORK, N.Y. - George Nimmons scored a team-high 18 points and converted on 7-of-8 free throws over the final four minutes as the Lehman men held off a hard-charging City College of New York team to grab a 58-51 victory at Nat Holman Gymnasium on Wednesday night.

During the last four minutes of action, CCNY would pull within a basket of tying or taking the lead on four separate occasions.

The first came with 3:55 remaining when Brandon Reeves dunk left Lehman in front 48-47.  Two free throws by Nimmons pushed the Lightning's tenuous margin back to three.

After a free throw by Phil Ductan gave Lehman a 51-47 lead, Israel Vickers canned a jumper with 1:29 showing.  Ahead by two, Mathias Raggiotto kept Lehman from slipping further with a big basket.

On CCNY's next possession, Rasaq Balogun dropped in a bucket from inside the paint to again pull the Beavers two points closer, only to have Nimmons, ice water coursing through his veins, knock down two more clutch free throws.  The Lightning senior would go on to nail three more to provide the winning margin.

The nailbiting ending obscured a first half that saw Lehman produce a 33-22 halftime advantage. 

From the 6:58 mark when CCNY's Vickers cut his team's deficit to 16-15, the Lightning used a 15-4 run to take a 12-point lead, 31-19.  Two three-pointers by Raggiotto and another by Nimmons highlighted the spurt, as did four points from Patryk Odedina and a basket by Ductan.

Ductan finished the game with 16 points and was one of three Lehman players along with Nimmons and Raggiotto (16 points) to finish in double-figures.  Raggiotto also nailed 4-of-5 from downtown.

Terrence Johnston led the Beavers with 16 points.

Lehman will look to get back to the .500 mark and improve on its 6-3 conference record on Friday evening at John Jay college when it takes on Baruch.