LAKELAND, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's basketball team closed out the Florida Southern Mocs Thanksgiving Classic in strong fashion Saturday night, defeating Winona State 81–54 in a dominant neutral-site performance.

The Lions controlled the game on both ends, using a 49-point second half and efficient shooting to pull away from the Warriors. Sophomore Camden Cerese led the charge with a game-high 27 points, knocking down 5 three-pointers while adding four rebounds and two assists. Senior onovan Hill delivered one of his best outings of the season, finishing with 20 points, nine rebounds, and four threes of his own.

Senior Owen Pawlikowski added 15 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while sophomore Dominic Commisso chipped in seven points and four rebounds. As a team, Saint Leo shot an impressive 57% from the field and 55% from beyond the arc, piling up 12 made threes and outscoring Winona State 49–23 after halftime. Freshman Manny Castro tallied his first collegiate points with a floater in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, the Lions held the Warriors to just 8-of-24 shooting in the second half, forcing nine turnovers and limiting WSU to 4-of-22 from deep.

Saint Leo returns to action on Wednesday, December 3 as it hosts No. 18 Florida Southern in a Sunshine State Conference (SSC) bout, starting at 7 p.m.