CHEYNEY, Pa. – Jeff Lewis scored a career-high 28 points and Cheyney University men's basketball looked poised to come away with a victory, but visiting Lock Haven sank three-free-throws with eight seconds remaining to send the game into overtime.
The Bald Eagles then used an 8-0 run to build a six-point lead and withstood a final three-point attempt at the buzzer to come away with an 87-84 victory in PSAC East action Wednesday night inside Cope Hall.
Lewis made 12-20 shots, grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and added three steals, two blocks and two assists, as the Wolves (2-23, 2-19 PSAC E) used a 14-0 run to build a ten point lead 23-13 midway through the first half.
Amir Hinton matched Lewis with 28 points to pace the Bald Eagles (8-17, 6-15 PSAC E), Marques Jackson, who was fouled and connected on all three free-throws to send the game into overtime, collected a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Wolves trailed 13-9, when Rodney Jones sparked the run, with a 3-point shot, Amir Boney put Cheyney ahead Derrick Biney would make a layup Lewis added five points and Brewster Ward III capped the outburst with a dunk off a pass from Boney.
The Wolves carried a 31-25 lead into the break.
A steal and dunk from Hinton made it a 35-32 game, but Cheyney responded with a 9-2 run to build the lead back to 10.
Biney connected on two free-throws, the Lewis would go on a personal seven-point run and his three-pointer with 14:24 to play made it a 44-34 Wolves advantage.
The Wolves held a 61-53 courtesy of a Cliff St. Juste triple with 7:35 to play.
Lock Haven would use a 9-2 run to cut the lead to one 63-62. Cheyney held a 68-67 when St. Juste went on a person five-point run to push the lead to 73-67 with 2:47 to play.
The Bald Eagles cut the lead to 73-71, Boney then gave Cheyney a 75-71 advantage with 24 seconds to play.
Matt Cerruti connected from beyond the arc to make a 75-74 game with 19 seconds left and Boney then went to the line the 15 second mark and calmly sank two free-throws.
Jackson was awarded three free-throws when he was fouled on a three-point attempt with eight seconds left and made all three shots.
The Wolves turned the ball over, but Lewis blocked a layup attempt in the final seconds to send the game into overtime with the game knotted at 77-77.
Lewis opened the scoring in the extra session with a jumper, but Cerruti would put Lock Haven ahead for the first time, since early in the first half, with a three-point shot. Justin Henry would add five points and Lock Haven built an 85-79 lead.
Biney made a free-throw, then St. Juste added two more from the charity stripe and Lewis followed with a steal and a break away slam dunk to make it a one-point game 85-84 with 46 seconds to play.
Hinton scored to make it a three-point game and a three-point attempt by Lewis spun out at the buzzer giving the Bald Eagles the 87-84 overtime win.
St. Juste scored 12 points, Boney added 10 points, with a career-high five assists, two steals and four rebounds, Biney scored eight points and dished out a season-best six assists and six rebounds, Ward III had eight points with six boards and Jones also scored eight points with two assists and four rebounds.
The Wolves will close out the season on Saturday when it hosts Mansfield on Senior Day with the tipoff scheduled for 3:00 PM inside Cope Hall.
Cheyney has three seniors, Craig McGlond, Olin Ugo and Imir Bailey.
