SAINT LEO, Fla. – Behind a balanced offensive effort, the Saint Leo women's basketball team edged Lynn University 54-50 on Saturday in the Marion Bowman Activities Center.
The Lions improve to 6-9 overall with a 1-5 tally in Sunshine State Conference play while the Fighting Knights skid to 6-8 with a 0-5 mark in SSC contests.
Senior Melissa Jackson turned her sixth double-double performance, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. The forward also tallied four steals and two assists on the day.
Guards Kinnara Lewis and Chachi Guzman netted 12 and 10 points, respectively. Lewis posted eight boards while Guzman picked up six steals and four assists. The latter ended her free-throw streak at 25, managing a team-best 96% on the season.
Freshman Mary Redmond caught fire in the late minutes, scoring three baskets from beyond the arc. Fellow freshman Maggie Flynn totaled eight points as the Lions spread their offense, stopping their five-game skid.
The Lions dueled the Fighting Knights to a 20-20 halftime tally. Jackson was a perfect 4-for-4 in the opening half while Lewis followed with six points.
Guzman scored a pair of layups to begin the second stanza, taking the lead for the Green and Gold. Flynn converted a clutch trey to extend the lead, following with a key layup to put Saint Leo ahead 29-22. Lynn chipped away, but was unable to stop the Lions, taking a 54-50 loss.
Saint Leo totaled 17 points from the bench, as the freshman duo of Redmond and Flynn provided the starting lineup some strong depth.
Forward Charla Nelson-James dominated the paint for Lynn, posting 23 rebounds and 22 points, for her fourth double-double this season. The red-shirt junior's effort was not enough to overcome the Lions even attack.
The Green and Gold continue its home stand, welcoming Eckerd College to the Bowman Center for a 5:30 p.m. matchup on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
For more information on the Saint Leo women's basketball program, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
