The men's basketball team picked up their first win of the season defeated City College (CCNY), 60-58, on Tuesday night at the Nat Holman Gymnasium in New York, NY. The Bloodhounds improve to 1-7 overall and 1-2 in the CUNY Athletic Conference. The Beavers drop to 4-3 on the year and 1-2 in the conference. 

Freshman Essien Epps once again led John Jay with a game-high 28 points, on 9-of-18 shooting and 4-from-7 from behind the arc, four rebounds, and two steals. Junior Geno Ware picked up eight points off the bench and junior Kiernan Hayes grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and swiped two steals. Junior Jesse Higgins dished out a team-high three assists and freshman Jordan Aiken registered six points. 

Both teams got off to a slow start as CCNY recorded the first two points of the game at the 17:16 mark. The Beavers started the game on a 9-0 run until Epps made two free-throws. With John Jay trailing 16-7 with 9:50 on the clock, freshman Luciano Cruz-Fernandez hit a jumper and Aiken connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four. 

The hosts scored on their next possession but back-to-back three-pointers by Epps and Higgins tied the game at 18 apiece. The Bloodhounds followed that up on a 7-0 run, capped off by four successful free-throws by Ware. With 2:23 left in the half, John Jay was up 28-21. The Beavers ended the first half recording the final five points to go into halftime trailing by two. 

Epps connected on two free-throws to start the second half and increase the lead to four. Leading 34-33 with 17:10 remaining, senior Calvin Ingram made a layup and Epps hit a jumper to put the Bloodhounds ahead by five. The next six minutes went back-and-forth as both teams exchanged buckets. With 8:07 left to go, John Jay led 49-43. 

The hosts quickly tied the score by hitting back-to-back three-pointers in their next two possessions. CCNY took their first lead of the half, 50-49 with 5:22 remaining. In the next five minutes, John Jay had a two-point lead five times, only to see the Beavers tie the score.

With 16 seconds on the clock and the score 58-58, Epps drove to the basket and got a friendly roll to give John Jay a 60-58 lead with one second remaining. CCNY had one last chance but the shot fell short as the Bloodhounds collected their first win and conference win of the season.  

John Jay finished 19-for-54 (35.2%) from the field, 8-for-18 (44.4%) from behind the arc, and 14-for-15 (93.3%) from the free-throw line. 

The Bloodhounds host the Dolphins of the College of Staten Island for Homecoming on Thursday, December 10 at the Doghouse. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm. The game will be live streamed at www.johnjayathletics.com/watch and live stats are available at www.sidearmstats.com/johnjay/mbball.