SAINT LEO, Fla. – Friday afternoon's Saint Leo University men's basketball game against Savannah State marked the head coaching debut of Spencer Henke. The Lions picked up an opening-day win thanks to a 47-point second half for win No. 1 in the Henke era. All five of the Lions starters scored double digits including Eric Jones who had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Amar Hot led the Lions with a game-high 19 points. Trey Murray (5) and Jaylen McElroy added a combined 11 points off the bench for the Green & Gold.  
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions took command early against the visiting Tigers and never looked back en route to a decisive 80-64 victory. The Lions opened with an efficient shooting performance, highlighted by a 50% field goal rate and an impressive 41.4% from beyond the arc, where they sank 12 three-pointers.

Saint Leo's defense stifled Savannah State in the first half, holding them to just 23 points while the Lions built a comfortable 10-point lead, 33-23. In the second half, Saint Leo's offensive flow continued, scoring 47 points, led by Amar Hot's game-high 19 points and Eric Jones' double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jones also grabbed the final defensive rebound with four seconds remaining to solidify the win.

Despite an 18-point contribution from Ayjay Plain for Savannah State, the Tigers struggled with long-range shooting, hitting only 14.3% of their three-point attempts. Saint Leo maximized its possessions, leading to a dominant 39:42 of game control time.

The Lions also displayed accuracy from the free-throw line, converting 94.7% of their attempts, compared to Savannah State's 59.3%. The Lions' balanced attack, boosted by 11 assists and a quick-paced 16 fast-break points, extended their largest lead to 16 points late in the second half, capping off a strong team performance to close the game.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo is back on the hardwood for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against Auburn University at Montgomery on Saturday. The Lions have a quick turnaround as they prepare to host NAIA's Southeastern University on Tuesday as part of a Saint Leo basketball doubleheader.