BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Steve Miles (Alexandria, Va./Hayfield) led AU with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting, but it was not enough as the Eagles lost to Lehigh by three points, 57-54. Miles was 2-of-3 from three-point land, grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists.

In a game marked by nine lead changes, American missed a couple of opportunities to put away the Mountain Hawks late in the game. AU led by six points (51-45) with just over four minutes remaining. A pair of turnovers and one missed free over the last 1:25 finished off the Eagles as Lehigh's Nic Monserez scored the final five points of the game. Lehigh's Matt Logie stole the ball and fed a streaking Monserez for a game-tying layup (54-54) with 12 seconds remaining. Lehigh's Earl Nurse then grabbed a loose ball and gave it to Logie, who again found Monserez for another layup. Monserez was fouled on the play and hit his free throw for the final three-point margin. Glenn Stokes missed a three at the buzzer.

"I thought we gave a good effort tonight as a team," said American head coach Jeff Jones. "However, at the end of the game we missed some free throws and turned the ball over two times and that makes it much harder to win close games ."

Jernavis Draughn (Triangle, Va./Potomac Senior) was AU's second to Miles in scoring with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting. Draughn led all rebounders with seven and he also had an assist.

Sophomore Raimondas Petrauskas (Mazeikiai, Lithuania/Physical Culture Academy) provided the Eagles with quite a lift in the first half. He scored six points in two minutes to help AU gain its biggest lead of the game at 17-8. Petrauskas scored a career-high nine points, did not miss a shot and hauled down four boards.
American won the battle of the boards by three, 32-29, and outscored Lehigh in the paint by 18 (42-24). However, Lehigh had seven treys and Logie and Slatko Savovic combined for 35 points.

American (6-10/1-2) will next play Colgate at home on January 24, 2003 at Bender Arena. The game is at 7:30 p.m. and will be the first event of AU's Hall of Fame weekend celebration. Former AU standout Kermit Washington will have his jersey raised to the rafters of Bender Arena that evening.