NEW YORK — Geronimo Rubio De La Rosa delivered an impressive performance, contributing 24 points, while Avery Brown clinched the victory for Columbia with a decisive free throw at the last moment, leading the Lions to a narrow 76-75 win over Lehigh on Tuesday night.

De La Rosa showcased his skills beyond scoring, pulling down eight rebounds and making three steals for the Lions, who improved their season record to 4-0. Blair Thompson added to the success with 11 points, shooting an efficient 3 of 5 from the field, 2 for 4 from beyond the arc, and 3 for 4 from the free-throw line. He also collected seven rebounds. Kenny Noland contributed another 11 points, though he had a tougher outing, shooting 5 for 15 overall and struggling from three-point territory, missing all four of his attempts.

On the opposing side, Keith Higgins Jr. stood out for the Mountain Hawks, scoring a game-high 28 points along with two steals. He received support from Tyler Whitney-Sidney and Tommy Conniff, who both contributed 10 points each, but it wasn’t enough to secure the win for Lehigh, which fell to 0-3 this season.

At halftime, Columbia held a slight edge over Lehigh, leading 40-37. Zine Eddine Bedri also joined in the scoring frenzy during the first half, adding 10 points to his team’s total. The second half saw De La Rosa ramping up his performance, scoring 16 points and helping seal the victory as the game came to a thrilling finish.