NEW YORK -- Sophomores Joe Cremo scored 22 points and David Nichols scored 21, including a pair of clutch free throws in the final .04 seconds, as Albany held off Columbia 70-67 on Friday night.

Neither team could put the game out of reach and Columbia pulled to 68-67 on a Mike Smith 3-pointer with one second showing, and then Nichols was immediately fouled. After he made both free throws, the Lions were unable to get a final shot off before time ran out.

It was Cremo's seventh game this season scoring above 20. Greig Stire added 10 points for Albany (7-6), going 6-for-7 at the foul line, where Albany went 24-for-28.

Smith scored 21 for Columbia, two shy of his career high, and had five assists. Nate Hickman scored 16 and Luke Petrasek 14 for the Lions (4-6).