Bronx, NY – The Hunter College men's basketball team continues to strive against CUNY Athletic Conference competition, winning their third straight conference matchup against the Lehman College Lightining 81-73 led by junior Michael Dodd (Jamaica, NY/Hillcrest) who scored a team high 18 points Thursday evening at the APEX in the Bronx, NY.

The Hawks took control of the game in the opening minutes with four unanswered points and would relinquish their lead once all game following a three pointer by Lehman guard Duane Rhoden (Bronx, NY/DeWitt Clinton) that put the Lightning up 22-21 with 8:55 left in the first half. Hunter regained the lead moments later on a layup by junior forward Joseph DeLuca (Maspeth, NY/Christ the King) to put them up 23-22 and never looked back.

In the second half, the Hawks would go up by as many as 24 points (79-43/5:24) before letting the Lightning back into it with a 15-0 run that spanned the next five minutes of the game. Hunter would hold off the run after a lay-up and free-throw by sophomore Justin Antes (Dedeo, Guam/Franklin Township) completed the conventional three-point play and put the Hawks up 81-73. Antes finishes with a career high 14 points, shooting 3-of-4 from the field and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe.

Rhoden finished as the high man for the Lightning with a game high 21 points and ten rebounds. He was aided by sophomore forward Daryl May (New York, NY/Truman) who tallied 19 points and 11 boards.

DeLuca would finish with 17 points and six rebounds, while junior forward Frantz Millien (Rockland, NY/North Rockland) netted ten points, five rebounds and had three steals.

Tonight's victory improves the Hawks to 6-4 on the year and 3-0 in the CUNYAC and sets up a key matchup on Saturday, when they are on the road to face Brooklyn College who are coming off of a tough four point loss to City Tech on Thursday, their first conference loss of the season. Saturday's game is set to tip-off at 3:00 p.m.