The Lehman College Lightning women’s basketball team ended the Baruch College Bearcats’ three-year, 38-game regular season winning streak when the fierce rivals met at Lehman’s APEX Arena in Bedford Park on Saturday, Feb. 9.

The final score of the hard fought game was 60-58.

Both teams play in the City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC). Baruch, located in Manhattan, traditionally has held the upper hand, but last year, Lehman turned the tables, upsetting Baruch in the CUNYAC championship game to gain their first-ever entry into the Division III national tournament.

“These two teams are like the CUNY version of a Red Sox-Yankees game,” Lehman Head Coach Eric Harrison said. “These two top teams, they go at it.”

And like most good rivalries, this latest matchup went down to the wire.

Lehman (15-10 overall, 11-2 in conference) held a slim 60-55 lead with 30.8 seconds remaining in the game. But after four missed free throws by Lehman freshman Paulie Tuazon and a clutch three pointer by Baruch junior Awa Diop, the Bearcats had the ball, down 60-58, with just 13 seconds left.

On the final Bearcat possession, Baruch freshman Lorin Clarke launched a three pointer that bounced out and landed in the arms of Lehman’s junior superstar Sally Nnamani as the clock ran out, ending the Bearcats’ (18-6, 12-1 in conference) quest for their third straight undefeated regular season in the conference.

Lehman attacked Baruch throughout the game with their strong passing and running game, led by senior Kimberly Kelly, who finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Nnamani, last season’s CUNY Conference Player of the Year, finished with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and six blocks. For Baruch, senior Chiresse Paradise, the 2005-2006 CUNY Conference Player of the Year, led her team with 20 points, nine rebounds, and six steals.

Kelly, along with fellow seniors Tiara Carroll and Maria Loor, were honored in a Senior Day ceremony before the game to celebrate the trio’s final regular season home contest. They were given commemorative framed jerseys. Carroll also received a 1,000-point ball recognizing her as just the ninth player in Lehman women’s basketball history to reach that plateau. She achieved the milestone at the team’s previous contest against the City College of New York on Feb. 6.

Harrison said he could not be happier with his team’s performance. “We just wanted to have a good momentum going into the tournament, and to beat a team that was undefeated gives you that momentum,” he said.

The Lightning entered the CUNY conference tournament as the third seed behind Baruch and College of Staten Island.

As part of the conference, the team last Sunday defeated York College (8-17 overall, 5-8 in conference) 72-48. Juniors Nnamani and Whitney Barnes led the Lightning scoring with 15 points each. Before the game, Nnamani was presented with her second straight CUNYAC Player of the Year award. During the regular season, Nnamani led the conference in scoring, three point shots made, and blocks.

The Lightning then advanced to the conference semifinals where they were scheduled to meet the team that handed them their only home conference defeat of the regular season, No. 2 seeded College of Staten Island.