SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo University Lions men's basketball suffered a hard fought defeat on Saturday evening at the Marion Bowman Activities Center. The game featured 14 ties and 13 lead changes. Amar Hot attempted to make it 14 lead changes but his final second jumper was unsuccessful. The Lions drop to 1-1 on the young season.

Saint Leo's offense was led by 22 points from Wilson, 15 points off the bench from Jaylan McElroy and 13 points from Owen Pawlikowski. Eric Jones added double digits in rebounds including 10 defensive boards.   
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The contest remained close from start to finish, with both teams tied at 42 by halftime.
• The Lions took a 77-75 lead with just 51 seconds left after Shunta Wilson's layup. However, AUM's Terrell Ferrette answered with a three-pointer at the 36-second mark to give the Warhawks a 78-77 advantage. After a missed free throw by AUM with 21 seconds remaining, Eric Jones grabbed a critical rebound, giving Saint Leo a final chance. With time running out, Amar Hot took a jumper in the final seconds, but it fell short, allowing AUM to escape with the win.
• Saint Leo had strong individual performances, including Wilson's game-high 22 points and Jones' 12 rebounds. The Lions shot a solid 52.1% from the field, including 46.7% from beyond the arc, but struggled from the free-throw line, converting just 62.5% of their attempts. AUM's bench proved impactful, outscoring Saint Leo's reserves 41-22, which contributed to their narrow victory.

 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo has a quick turnaround as they get ready to host NAIA's Southeastern University on Tuesday as part of a Saint Leo basketball doubleheader.