With the game tied at 61 and just 2.2 seconds on the clock, Vlad Moldoveanu stepped to the free-throw line and hit 1-of-2 to give the American University men's basketball team a 62-61 win Sunday at Lehigh.

The victory is the Eagles' second straight and fifth in their last six games. It also improves to team to 16-7 overall and 6-2 in the Patriot League, keeping American one game behind Bucknell in the Patriot League standings and setting the stage for Wednesday's showdown between the teams.

Troy Brewer led the Eagles with 17 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 12 points in the second half. Moldoveanu added 13 points and a career-best six assists while Stephen Lumpkins totaled 13 points and nine boards.

American finished the game shooting just 44.4 percent but hit 15-of-28 attempts in the second half. Lehigh (12-11, 3-5), meanwhile, was held to 40.4 percent shooting with the Eagles also holding a 37-28 rebounding advantage. C.J. McCollum led the Mountain Hawks with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

American jumped out to a 6-0 lead to begin the game, holding Lehigh scoreless for the first five-plus minutes. The Mountain Hawks would respond with a run of their own, however, taking a 9-8 advantage on a Jordan Hamilton three-pointer. The basket marked the beginning to a five-minute stretch in which the teams traded the lead four times, with American taking a 15-14 edge on a Lumpkins free throw.

Charles Hinkle scored five straight points to help keep the Eagles out in front and Brewer's three with under two minutes to play made it a 24-21 game. Brewer added another jumper to regain a three-point edge before the end of the half but McCollum raced the length of the court to beat the buzzer, putting the score at 26-25 in favor of the Eagles at the intermission.

Lumpkins finished the first half with eight points and six rebounds while both Brewer and Hinkle added five. As a team the Eagles held a 19-14 edge on the glass over the first 20 minutes and grabbed six offensive rebounds, but the Mountain Hawks kept pace by converting four American turnovers into eight points.

The second half began at a frenetic pace as both teams came out firing on all cylinders. After falling behind 30-28, Brewer hit three straight jumpers to regain a 34-32 margin for the Eagles. Moldoveanu followed Brewer with his first three of the day and Nick Hendra gave American its largest margin since the opening moments of the game, 41-36.

American extended its lead to 45-39 on Tony Wroblicky's first basket and took a nine-point advantage off another Moldoveanu three, 52-43. McCollum would pull Lehigh back to within 52-49 with back-to-back three-pointers but Brewer answered for the Eagles with a three of his own, pushing the score to 55-49.

McCollum stayed hot for Lehigh and hit a difficult layup to make it a 56-54 game. After consecutive Lumpkins baskets put American in front 60-54, the Mountain Hawks would use a 7-1 run to even the score at 61 on a Gabe Knutson dunk with 36 seconds to play.

American used a timeout to set up a play for Brewer who got off a clean shot from the top of the key with less than 10 seconds remaining. His attempt was short but fell into the hands of Moldoveanu, who was fouled on his way to the basket with 2.2 seconds remaining. The senior stepped the line and hit the first of two free throws, giving the Eagles the 62-61 lead. McCollum's half court attempt at the buzzer was unsuccessful, giving American the victory.

American will return to action Wednesday, February 9 when it takes on Bucknell at 7:00 p.m. in Lewisburg, Pa. with first place in the Patriot League on the line.