NEW YORK (AP)—Brian Grimes and Patrick Foley scored 21 points each and Columbia held off Lehigh in the closing minutes for a 75-70 victory on Thursday night.
The Lions (3-3) led most of the second half, but couldn’t pull away from Lehigh (3-3) in a game that featured eight ties and eight lead changes.
Columbia led 63-57, but Marquis Hall had a steal and a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 63-60 with 4:25 left in the game.
The Lions countered with Asenso Ampim’s layup and Niko Scott’s free throw for a 66-60 lead and went up 71-64 on another layup by Ampim with 24 seconds left.
Columbia’s Noruwa Agho, who entered the game averaging 19.6 points, was held to five points, but Grimes and Foley combined to go 16-for-27 from the field to help the Lions finish 27-for-53 (50.9 percent).
Scott added 14 points for Columbia.
Hall scored 19 points and Gabe Knutson finished with 17 for Lehigh.
