RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Luke Petrasek buried a 3-pointer with just under eight seconds to remaining to put Columbia past Manhattan, 72-71. Petrasek finished with a career-high 26 points on 11-of-17 shooting to help the Lions improve to 6-5.
Columbia held a 61-57 advantage with 4:57 to play after a Maodo Lo 3-pointer. The Jaspers (1-6) converted on six-straight from the foul line to regain the lead with 2:36 left and remained ahead, 70-66, after a pair from the charity stripe by Rich Williams at the 30 second mark.
Alex Rosenberg got to the lane for a bucket and was fouled to pull the Lions within one with 18 seconds to go. Columbia fouled Tyler Wilson, who hit 1-of-2, to give the Lions one last chance.
Rosenberg found Petrasek open in the left corner, and the junior buried the chance for the game-winner. Manhattan raced up the floor and got the ball to Williams under the basket, but his reverse layup was off the mark to give Columbia its second-straight road victory.
Petrasek netted 14 of Columbia's 26 first half points, as the rest of the Lions had trouble picking up the slack, shooting just 10-of-26 from the field and 0-of-6 from downtown. The Jaspers kept Columbia off the offensive glass and used a 10-2 run to go ahead, 24-18, with 3:56 left and took a six-point advantage at the break.
Manhattan led by as many as nine after RaShawn Stores knocked down a triple just 36 seconds into the second half. Lo knocked down the team's first trey of the night with 17:51 remaining to pull the Lions within three at 35-32.
The Jaspers remained in front until a pair of transition buckets by CJ Davis and Lo spurred a 7-0 run to give Columbia a 53-50 cushion at the 8:22 juncture to set up the exciting finish.
Rosenberg went 13-of-16 from the free throw line and finished with 19 points and five rebounds. Lo posted 12 points, three assists and three steals.
Columbia shot 51.9 percent in the second half and outscored the Jaspers 36-16 in the paint.
The Lions are back in action in Levien Gymnasium to take on NJIT on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by clicking here. Fans can also catch the action live on the Ivy League Digital Network.
