BRONX, NY --- Amely Del Rosario led all scorers with 28 points as the Lehman College women's basketball team prevailed in overtime, 83-80, over the visitors from the City College of New York on Saturday afternoon in a major showdown of CUNYAC contenders.
The Lightning of Lehman (14-6 / 9-2 CUNYAC) stay in the hunt for the top seed in the upcoming CUNYAC Championship Tournament. Del Rosario pulled down seven boards and dished out seven assists to lead the hosts. Karrin Walker posted her eighth double-double in ten games, coming away with 22 points, ten rebounds and five steals. Jennifer Navarro carried Lehman for much of regulation, finishing with 22 points and four rebounds. Amani Lightbourne posted eight points while pulling down five boards.
The Beavers of CCNY (12-8 / 7-4 CUNYAC) were led by Tiara Brown with 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Erika Richards contributed 19 with three takeaways while Liz Durchhalter shot 50 percent from the floor to finish with 16.
City jumped out to a 10-2 in the opening minutes and lead by as many as nine in the first half. Lehman would answer, however. Down six with 2:14 left in the second period, the Lightning closed out the half with an 11-3 run, capped off with back-to-back steals leading to fast-break baskets in the closing seconds, both field goals by Navarro. At the half, Lehman led 42-40.
In the third period, Lehman went up by as much as eight, only to see CCNY rally with an 11-2 run. The teams went into the fourth stanza tied 55-55. The teams traded baskets for much of the fourth, with the Lightning going up by six at 69-63 on a jumper from Lightbourne with 3:39 to go. Once again, the Beavers rallied with a 10-2 run, taking the lead on a layup from Brown off a Lehman turnover with 21 seconds remaining. Coach Eric Harrison called a timeout with 14 seconds left to draw up a play, resulting in Del Rosario finding Walker under the basket for a game-tying layup. CCNY couldn't get a shot off, and the teams headed to overtime tied at 73.
It was Homecoming Day for the Lightning, as Lehman basketball players from years passed gathered after the game to be recognized by the department, fans and the members of the current squad, and to play in an exciting alumni game that showed the former players had lost none of their passion in the years since their departure. Finally, Coach Harrison was honored by his current and former players for becoming the all-time leader in wins in the history of CUNYAC women's basketball.
The Lightning will host Baruch College on Friday, February 5th as part of "White Out" night. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.