FOUNTAIN HILL, Pa. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a scintillating individual duel and a frantic final sequence, Nasir Whitlock’s step-back jumper at the buzzer in overtime lifted Lehigh to a 77-76 victory over Colgate in a Patriot League thriller on Saturday afternoon at Stabler Arena.

The contest was a rematch of a Jan. 10 meeting won by Lehigh by a single point, and this chapter delivered even higher drama, requiring an extra period to separate the teams after 40 minutes of tense, back-and-forth action. The win improved Lehigh to 10-13 overall, while Colgate fell to 13-10.

The game’s central narrative was the spectacular showdown between Lehigh’s Whitlock and Colgate’s Jalen Cox. Whitlock, a guard from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, poured in 32 points, including the game-winning basket. Cox, a Los Angeles native, was equally magnificent, scoring 34 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a full 42-minute effort.

Lehigh built its early advantage from beyond the arc, connecting on 13 of 25 three-point attempts. Colgate, by contrast, struggled from deep, making just 3 of 15. That perimeter disparity allowed the Mountain Hawks to take a 37-34 lead into halftime despite Colgate’s efficiency inside, where they scored 40 paint points.

The second half saw Colgate methodically chip away, leveraging its interior presence and defensive pressure. The Raiders forced 16 Lehigh turnovers, converting them into 17 points, and outscored Lehigh 16-9 in fast-break opportunities. A key putback by Andrew Alekseyenko, who finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds, tied the game at 68-68 with 19 seconds left in regulation.

Whitlock was fouled on the ensuing possession and calmly sank two free throws to put Lehigh back up by two with 13 seconds remaining. Colgate called a timeout to advance the ball and set up a play. Out of the break, Cox drove hard to the basket but his contested layup attempt rimmed out as time expired, sending the game to overtime tied at 68.

The extra period was a tense, possession-by-possession battle. Colgate took a 76-75 lead on an Alekseyenko layup with 19 seconds left, assisted by Cox. Lehigh called timeout to set up a final shot.

The most important part of the game unfolded from there. Inbounding the ball, Lehigh worked it to Whitlock near the top of the key. Isolated against his defender, Whitlock created space with a series of dribbles before launching a step-back jumper from just inside the arc as the clock hit zero. The shot found nothing but net, setting off a celebration among the 939 in attendance and giving Lehigh its second one-point victory over Colgate this season.

Beyond the star performers, Lehigh’ Edouard Benoit of Montreal contributed 11 points and nine rebounds, while Andrew Urosevic of Kitchener, Canada, added 11 points. For Colgate, Sam Wright of Hoover, Alabama, scored 11 points.

Statistically, the game was remarkably even. Both teams had 70 possessions, with Lehigh posting a slight efficiency edge. Colgate won the rebounding battle, particularly on the offensive glass with nine, and had more assists and steals. But Lehigh’s prolific three-point shooting, making 10 more threes than Colgate, proved to be the decisive factor in offsetting the Raiders’ interior dominance.

The victory was a significant one for Lehigh, providing momentum in the Patriot League race. Colgate, which had been a pregame favorite, was left to lament another narrow defeat to the same opponent after leading for stretches of the contest. Both teams continue league play on Wednesday, with Lehigh traveling to face Loyola Maryland and Colgate returning home to host Army.