BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The odds were in Lehigh's favor in the 2021 season and Patriot League opener for the Lafayette men's basketball team on Saturday at Stabler Arena as the Hawks' Marques Wilson hit a buzzer-beating three from the right hash to out-shine career days for multiple Leopards in a 90-89 defeat.
 
Senior captains Justin Jaworski and E.J. Stephens were 75.3 percent of the Maroon and White offense on Saturday, scoring career-highs of 37 and 30 points, respectively. The duo was the first in the Patriot League to both score 30 or more in the same game in at least the last five seasons and Jaworski's 37 is the highest scoring output for a Leopard since Jim Mower dropped 37 on Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 2, 2011.
 
With 19 seconds remaining in regulation and the game tied at 79, junior Tyrone Perry drove to his right and threw a high floater off the glass, just out of the reach of a put-back attempt from senior captain Dylan Hastings. Lehigh's final heave was off the mark as the game moved to an extra frame.
 
Overtime was dead even throughout before a jumper from Stephens on the right wing put the Leopards in front by two, 89-87, with 2.2 seconds on the clock. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough as Wilson's heave was true as the horn sounded on a 90-89 final.
 
"That's basketball. These things happen. It's just one of those plays and he made a great shot," head coach Fran O'Hanlon said, beginning his 26^th season at the helm. "We scored the ball and did a good job today. It seemed like whoever had the ball last was going to win. We're really just very happy that we're able to play. It's a win that we got to play today. The nice thing about the back-to-backs is that, when you lose, you have a chance to play again tomorrow. We'll be ready to go."
 
Jaworski was 12-of-19 from the floor, 3-of-6 from three-point range and 10-of-11 from the foul line to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and three steals for an outstanding return to the court after missing the final seven games of the 2019-20 season with a knee injury. Stephens accompanied that with an 11-for-20 effort from the floor, 2-of-2 from beyond the arc and 6-of-7 from the foul line for his 30 points, couple with eight boards as well.
 
Lehigh's Wilson finished with 28 points to lead the home side, while Nic Lynch added 22 and eight boards and Jakob Alamudun chipped in with a double-double of 13 points and 11 boards. The game was the first that went to overtime for the Leopards since the 2018-19 season and moves Lafayette's record in overtime under head coach Fran O'Hanlon to 23-27.
 
A Preseason All-Patriot League selection this season, Jaworski began the game hitting his opening two shots to give the Leopards a 7-5 advantage into the under-16 break. Stephens provided a spark off the bench over the next five-minute stretch with eight points to open up a five-point edge at 23-18.
 
A stop-and-pop from beyond the arc on the left wing went for Stephens three minutes later as Lafayette's lead grew to seven, 28-21, with 7:36 to play. Another jumper from the Plantation, Fla. native made it 38-32 with two minutes to go and that advantage held through the break with the Maroon and White up, 45-39.
 
A beautiful feed from Jaworski to sophomore Neal Quinn, who added 12 points and six assists on the day, for the baseline jumper opened the second-half scoring as Lafayette's lead grew as high as nine over the first three minutes. Back-to-back Lehigh buckets around the 16-minute mark cut it back to five, but the Leopards answered as another five from Jaworski three minutes later moved him to 27 points on the day and the lead to double digits for the first time, 59-49.
 
But Lehigh made its push around the eight-minute mark as an 8-2 run trimmed it to a four-point game, 66-62. That push continued to the final three minutes and all the way through overtime as Lafayette just couldn't stem the tide from that point forward.
 
The Leopards don't have to wait long for vengeance as they're right back at it tomorrow for the home opener at Kirby Sports Center. Tip-off on CBS Sports Network is set for 4 p.m.