BRONX, N.Y. - The Hunter College men's basketball team put together a gritty effort against conference-leading Lehman but ultimately came up short, falling 62-54 on the road.

In a back-and-forth matchup that saw seven lead changes and four ties, the Hawks held a slim 28-30 deficit at halftime before Lehman edged further ahead in the second half. Despite holding the Lightning to just 31.9 percent shooting from the field and 3-of-25 from beyond the arc, Hunter couldn't overcome a -21 rebounding margin that led to 19 second-chance points for the hosts.

Georgios Gatsias led the way for the Purple and Gold with 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting in just 17 minutes, while Jeremiah Otasowie and Jayden Jarrett added nine points apiece. Jarrett also grabbed five rebounds, and Sloan Ireland chipped in seven points and a team-high seven boards.

Hunter (2-15, 0-6 CUNYAC) was held to 41.8 percent shooting and struggled from deep, connecting on just 4-of-22 from long range. The Hawks committed 14 turnovers, but their pressure defense managed to force seven steals, including three by Kristian Nunez.

The team returns to action on Jan. 21 with a 7 p.m. road contest at Medgar Evers.