MELBOURNE, Fla. – Saint Leo men's basketball picked up a key Sunshine State Conference (SSC) road win on Saturday evening, defeating Florida Tech 71–67 inside the Charles & Ruth Clemente Center.

Saint Leo delivered a conference road victory that was highlighted by standout performances from junior Luther Smith, senior Owen Pawlikowski, and sophomore Dominic Commisso. Smith led all scorers with 24 points, knocking down five three-pointers while adding five assists. Pawlikowski followed closely with 20 points, three triples, four rebounds, and three steals in 38 minutes. Commisso provided an inside presence, recording 14 points, seven rebounds, and a pair of steals.
After the teams entered halftime tied 36–36, the Lions surged in the second half, sparked by Smith's perimeter shooting. Saint Leo built an eight-point advantage midway through the period, but Florida Tech responded to close the gap behind a barrage of three-pointers from the Panthers' bench.

With the game tied 67–67 in the final minute, senior Lenz Dupont calmly knocked down two free throws to push Saint Leo ahead. On the following defensive stand, the Lions secured a rebound that led to a clutch jumper by Commisso with nine seconds remaining, extending the lead to three. Pawlikowski added a late free throw to seal the victory.

Saint Leo forced 16 turnovers and converted them into 23 points, while also winning the battle in the paint and on the offensive glass. Senior Donovan Hill anchored the boards with a game-high 12 rebounds, helping the Lions total 33 for the game.