NEW YORK, N.Y. – Lehman College junior Keonti Powell made the game-winning basket with less than two seconds to play in the second half, as the visiting Lightning women's basketball team won at City College on Wednesday night, 53-51. The teams have now split the season series, with the road team victorious each time. The teams are now in a dogfight, alongside York College, for the sixth seed in the upcoming 2013 CUNYAC/Con Edison Basketball Championships.
CCNY (4-19, 4-11 CUNYAC) led by two points with 1:31 to play in regulation, when Powell (Bronx, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) took over for Lehman (4-19, 4-10 CUNYAC). First, Powell knocked down a jumper to knot the score at 51 apiece, with just 1:13 to play.
With the score now tied, both teams came up empty on their next possessions, before Lehman freshman guard Shameeka Reed (Bronx, N.Y./Pocono Mountain west) forced a CCNY turnover to give possession back to the Blue and Gold. At that point, head coach Eric Harrison called for a timeout, with 19 seconds left, to set the stage. On the final basket, Reed made a clear pass to Powell, who made the contested basket.
CCNY took a timeout, now down by two, but could not muster a shot before the horn sounded.
City had led by as many as six points, with 4:47 to play.
The game was close and competitive throughout, with the lead changing hands eight times. There were also eight ties in the game.
On the evening, freshman Jennifer Navarro (Jamaica, N.Y./Grover Cleveland) led all scorers with 21 points. She made seven baskets on the night, including five from beyond the arc. Powell finished with 18, while grabbing eight rebounds. Junior Stephanie Miranda (Bronx, N.Y./Taft Educational Campus) and freshman Luisayra Madrigal (Bronx, N.Y./Msgr. Scanlan) each had nine rebounds to lead the way.
The Lehman defense was stellar, holding City College to just 29.6% shooting from the field, including 20% from beyond the three-point line. Additionally, Lehman forced 20 CCNY turnovers, which led directly to 15 points.
The Lightning will now host CUNYAC leader Baruch College on Friday, February 8, before facing York in the season finale on Tuesday, February 12.