NEW YORK, N.Y. (Feb. 23, 2023) – Devin Nicholson hit the game-winning basket with 4.0 seconds remaining in overtime to lift Baruch College to an 83-82 overtime victory over Lehman College in the 2023 CUNYAC/Healthfirst Men’s Basketball Championship at CCNY’s Nat Holman Gymnasium. With the win, the Bearcats earn the league’s automatic bid to the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship.
The Bearcats turned in a gutsy performance in a rematch of last year’s title game to capture their second straight championship and third in the last four seasons. It was the second straight season that the two programs needed overtime to determine a winner.
Nicholson, a CUNYAC First Team All-Star this season, finished with 15 points in the victory and was named the championship game’s Most Valuable Player.
Devin Nicholson - 2023 CUNYAC/Healthfirst Men's Basketball Championship Game Most Valuable Player
After trailing all game long, Lehman forced overtime by scoring five points in the final 22 seconds of regulation, capped off by a layup from
Jayden Stephens with six seconds remaining. It wasn’t until the 2:29 mark in overtime when the Lightning took their first lead of the contest.
Baruch regained the lead with a three-pointer from CUNYAC All-Star,
Jehmehl Fair, until a pair of free throws from
Lasana Camara made it a one-point game with 16 seconds on the clock. On the next possession, Nicholson grabbed an offensive rebound and after a few dribbles finished a reverse layup to give the Bearcats the lead. Lehman had a look at the end but were unable to convert, securing Baruch’s fifth title in program history.
Fair finished with a game-high 20 points in the win while grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out a pair of assists.
Gerard Nicholson produced 11 points, nine assists and two steals in the victory. Both earned a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Baruch was red-hot to begin the contest, racing out to a 30-10 advantage over 12:04, featuring a 13-0 run. The Lightning chipped away at the margin with eight straight points and outscored the Bearcats 18-7 to shrink the deficit to single digits at halftime, 37-28.
The Bearcats went back up by double figures in the second half (49-38), but Lehman did not go away, using a 12-3 spurt to get within a possession with 8:09 left in regulation (52-49). Baruch did not let up, countering with a 9-2 run to push the margin back to double-digits (61-51). All night long, Lehman continued to scratch and claw to keep the game within striking distance.
The 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, February 27.
2022-23 CUNYAC/Healthfirst Men’s Basketball Championship All-Tournament Team
Championship Game MVP: Devin Nicholson, Baruch
Jehmehl Fair, Baruch
Gerard Nicholson, Baruch
Isaiah Geathers, Lehman
Will Feldman, Lehman
Luka Jakic, Hunter
Dashaun Galloway, CCNY