New York, NY - The John Jay men's basketball team held a two-point lead with 13 seconds remaining in regulation before York's Malakai Clark swooped to the basket to send the game to overtime.

In the extra session, the Bloodhounds had a chance to extend the game from the free-throw line and even win it at the buzzer as John Jay was edged by York, 96-94, on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, the Bloodhounds fall to 5-14 overall and 3-5 in league play, while the Cardinals improve to 6-9 and 6-2 in the conference.

Junior guard Aidony Nivar, facing his former club for the first time, scored a season-best 25 points in 43 minutes of action, hitting on 7 of 15 from the field and connecting on 5 of 10 from the outside. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native recorded his first double-double as a Bloodhound, finishing with ten rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

Senior wing Adrian Kopec scored a career-high 24 points in 42 minutes of play as the Staten Island, NY native hit on 7 of 17 from the floor and matched Nivar going 5 of 10 from three-point distance. Kopec grabbed seven rebounds and dished out five assists as well. Senior guard Jamir Stewart added 16 points while Alesseny Diallo also corralled ten rebounds for the Bloodhounds.

Five Cardinals scored in double-figures, led by Christopher Smith, who poured in a team-high 23 points on 9 of 20 shooting from the field and connected on 5 of 10 from long distance. Smith scored four points in the extra session, two of which put York ahead 95-92 with 48 seconds remaining. 

Jonte Wallace netted 16 points on 8 of 14 shooting while corralling six caroms. Joshua Jackman added 13 points. Gozie Chinegwundoh ended with 11 points, including what turned out to be the game-sealing free throw with eight seconds showing in overtime. Clark had ten points, including the game-tying bucket that sent the contest to overtime.

York jumped out to a 10-6 advantage as Smith sank a pair of free throws and extended its lead to 22-13 thanks to a Wallace layup at the 9:18 mark of the first half. John Jay embarked on a 9-3 run of its own to get to within a single possession as Amare Jordan connected from the right corner on a three-pointer that cut the deficit to 25-22 before Jackman responded with a three of his own. 

The Bloodhounds forged on as Kopec netted ten points over the next 2:31 as John Jay pulled to within three, 37-34, with 3:05 left to go in the first half. York finished the first half on an 8-3 burst as Smith drilled a mid-range jumper just before the first half buzzer sounded.

Both teams shot the ball well in the first half, with John Jay converting at a 46.2 percent clip and York hitting on 41.0 percent. The Bloodhounds were 8 of 18 (44.4 percent) from three-point range in the opening 20 minutes while limiting the Cardinals to just two made field goals from the outside.

Both teams traded baskets to start the second half as York upped its lead to 58-49. The Bloodhounds mounted their comeback over the next 6:42, as both teams shot 7 of 13 from the field, but it was John Jay that outscored York, 21-14 over this span. Stewart and Kopec were the catalysts, as Kopec dialed up a three-pointer from the top of the key to cut the deficit down to 72-70.

Nivar narrowly outscored his former team over a 3:30 stretch as the Bloodhounds regained the lead at 80-79, at the 2:53 mark, following a driving reverse layup. John Jay went ahead by three with 41 seconds as Nivar hit the front-end of a two-shot foul.

Smith converted on a layup for the visitors that brought them to within one, 84-83, with 31 seconds left to go in regulation. With 13 seconds showing on the game clock, Stewart was sent to the line, where he missed the first attempt but calmly sank the second. York followed with a timeout. 

When play resumed, Clark was able to power his way into the hoop and bank in the game-tying layup, forcing overtime. Jackman netted the first four points for York as they held a 89-87 advantage to start overtime. Stewart responded with John Jay's first four points to even it up at 89. Smith converted on a contested turnaround jumper that pushed York's lead to 93-89 with 1:23 left to play, but Nivar quickly answered with a three-pointer off the feed from Kopec.

Following a Bloodhound timeout, Smith once again put York ahead, as he drove the lane for two, giving the Cardinals a three-point edge, 95-92, with 48 seconds left to go. Off the timeout, Jordan was fouled and sank both his free-throw chances. John Jay forced a pivotal turnover, but Jordan had inadvertently stepped out of bounds, giving the ball back to York.

With 11 seconds left, Chinegwundoh lost the ball as John Jay had a chance to tie the game on their next trip down, but an offensive foul was called, giving Chinegwundoh a chance for redemption as he sank one of two from the line.

With 0.8 remaining on the clock, Stewart was fouled and missed both chances from the line. Kopec was in the right spot for the loose ball and fired up a last-second heave that hit the window as York hung on for the win.

In the game, both teams shot 44.0 percent from the field, with the Bloodhounds making a season-high 15 three-pointers in 36 attempts (41.7 percent). John Jay shot 23 of 35 from the line, both season highs, while York capitalized on 22 John Jay turnovers, turning them into 21 points.

The Bloodhounds will travel to Hunter College on January 30 for a 7:00 p.m. tipoff at the Hunter Sportsplex.