The Seawolves had ample chances to tie the game, but couldn’t convert. Junior Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) drew a foul after McCollum’s basket, but he missed the first free throw. He made the second, and then Lehigh’s Mackey McKnight was fouled and made both his free throws to put the Mountain Hawks up 77-74 with 11 seconds remaining.
It appeared Dougher tied the game with a bank-shot that was initially called a three-pointer, but replay showed that his foot was on the three-point line, making it a two. After another SBU foul, McCollum made both of his free throws, and Dougher missed a wild three-point attempt at the buzzer.
“It’s tough to win games when you give up almost 80 points at home,” Stony Brook head coach Steve Pikiell said. “We need to get back to playing defense and rebound the ball.”
The tough ending for Stony Brook came as it lost a 14-point, second-half lead. The Seawolves had gone up 59-45 with 9:40 remaining after an 11-0 run that included a big three-pointer by Dougher.
McCollum willed Lehigh back into the game with 13 points in the remaining 9:27 of regulation. His free throws at 1:42 tied the game at 66-66 and sent it into overtime. Stony Brook scored just four points in the final 7:12 of regulation.
Dougher put the Seawolves on top 73-70 with 1:20 remaining in overtime with a big layup on a drive to the lane along the baseline. But Lehigh responded as McCollum came up with a loose ball offensive rebound off his own three-point miss and fed a wide-open Michael Ojo for a three to tie the game. McCollum then stole the ball from Stony Brook and came down in transition for a fastbreak layup to put the Mountain Hawks on top for good.
Stony Brook shot 40.6 percent as a team and capitalized on 22 Lehigh turnovers that turned into 29 points. However, the Seawolves struggled with free throws, going only 12-for-21 (57.1 percent) from the free throw line, including just 6-for-11 in the second half and overtime. Dougher, the America East Player of the Game, scored 26 points on 10-of-20 from the field, including 5-for-10 from behind the arc.
Lehigh shot 45 percent for the game and made 90 percent of its free throws (18-for-20). In addition to McCollum’s 31, Gabe Knutson chipped in 18.
Stony Brook is back in action Saturday at Columbia at 4 p.m. Following a Dec. 7 road game at Columbia, the Seawolves’ next home game will be Saturday, Dec. 11 against Sacred Heart at Pritchard Gymnasium at 2 p.m. The game will be televised on MSG-Plus, and it will be Santa Day, in which all fans can get their picture taken with Santa Claus for $2. For tickets, call (631) 632-WOLF or visit the Stony Brook Athletics ticket office online.
