WASHINGTON — Double-digit deficit? No problem.

After spotting American a 14-point lead at intermission, the Stony Brook men's basketball team dialed up the pressure early in the second half and stormed back for a 77-74 victory on Saturday afternoon at Bender Arena.

Mouhamadou Gueye fed Elijah Olaniyi for a layup with 84 seconds remaining to break a tie and give the Seawolves their first lead since the game's opening minutes. Jeff Otchere then grabbed an important defensive rebound and converted the first of one-and-one free throws with 26.2 seconds to go for a three-point lead and Stony Brook did not look back.

The comeback marked the program's largest deficit overcome in a victory since rallying from an 18-point second-half hole against Maine on Jan. 19 of last season in a 64-61 win.

Against American, Makale Foreman got the Seawolves going in the opening minute of the second half when he was fouled while successfully shooting from behind the arc. The redshirt junior guard converted a four-point play to pull Stony Brook within 10 points. Foreman later pulled Stony Brook even at 59 on a trey with 6:48 remaining en route to a game-high-matching 21-point performance, two points shy of his career high.

Eighteen of Foreman's points came in the second half.

Olaniyi also had 21 points for the Seawolves. Andrew Garcia produced his second double-double of the season, tallying 13 points and 10 rebounds.

American (4-6) had raced to a 43-29 halftime lead courtesy 6-for-11 shooting from three-point range before intermission.

Stony Brook (8-6) similarly had rallied from double-digit first-half deficits at Providence and Virginia in its preceding two games, but both times came up just short.

After playing four straight road games, the Seawolves now complete nonconference play on Dec. 29 at noon against Norfolk State at Island Federal Credit Union Arena as part of a doubleheader with the women's team.

CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS WITH A HOOPS DOUBLEHEADER ON DEC. 29 AS THE STONY BROOK MEN HOST NORFOLK STATE AT NOON AND THE WOMEN HOST BUCKNELL AT 2 P.M. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS.