Box Score BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Senior Matthew Lee (Bloomfield, N.J./Westtown) posted a season-high 44 points, including 29 in the second half and a buzzer-beater at the end of regulation, as the Medgar Evers men's basketball team rallied from 12 points down in the second half to top Cairn University in overtime, 80-79, Monday night at the Cougars Cave.

Lee notched his second double-double of the season, shooting 15-for-30 from the field for his 44 points and grabbing 10 rebounds for the Cougars (3-4). Center Damani Guscott (Brooklyn, N.Y./Hoosac) added 11 points along with six boards and four blocks off the bench, while Steve Shivers II (Brooklyn, N.Y./The Piney Woods School) chipped in with seven points and seven caroms. The team got six points and six rebounds from Aker-Mark Bayley-Hay (Miami, Fla./Flanagan) despite being in foul trouble the whole game.

For the Highlanders (4-2), Kyle Bonner netted a team-best 27 points to lead four players in double figures in a losing effort. JD Zamroz poured in four three-pointers for all 12 of his points, while Jason Kuntzelman (15 points) and Gerroid Doughty (10 points) provided spark on the offensive end.

The first half saw both teams play relatively even on the stat sheet, with both teams grabbing 22 rebounds and the Cougars earning a slight edge on field goal percentage (37.1 to 35.5%). However, Cairn would seize control in the stanza from beyond the arc. They connected on eight-of-15 from three-point range as they took a 39-30 lead going into the break.

The Highlanders would increase their lead to double-figures in the second half, as a three pointer three minutes in put them up by 12 a minute in. Medgar Evers would begin to put the pressure on chip away at the deficit. Trailing 50-42 with 12:13 remaining, the Cougars would fight back with a 10-0 run including six points from Lee along with a basket and an assist from Pablo Segura (Flushing, N.Y./Hicksville) to provide a spark off the bench to take the lead. The teams would trade the lead a few times, and Lee refused to let the team fall deep into a hole.

After two Kyle Bonner free throws put Cairn up five points with 1:12 left in regulation, Lee would hit a free throw then drill a deep three after a turnover to cut it to one. The Cougars would struggle to corral a board on two different free-throw attempts. Down three, Lee would get fouled on a jump shot for two shots with 1.9 seconds remaining. He would hit the first, then grab the offensive rebound on the purposely missed second shot and connected on a floater in the lane at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

The frenzied Cougar crowd that charged the court at the buzzer-beater caused a technical foul that led to a Cairn free throw to go up a point before the tip. Medgar Evers would fight back again from a deficit, with Lee drilling a three to tie and a jumper to take a 78-76 lead. A Jordan Sharpe three-point play set the Highlanders up with 79-78 advantage but two Lee free throws again pushed the Cougars back ahead 80-79.

A few missed chances kept the door open for Cairn to steal the victory, and a foul with 11 seconds left put Kuntzelman at the line for two. He would miss both shots, and a last second jumper was blocked away by Guscott to seal the win.

The Cougars return to action as part of a doubleheader with the women's team Friday night to take on CUNYAC foe Lehman on the road. The women's game starts at 5:00 p.m. followed by the men at 7:00 p.m.