MELBOURNE, Fla.- The Lynn men's basketball team shot lights out in the first road game of 2025, storming past conference opponent Florida Tech 97-60. Following the win, Lynn improved to 9-4 overall and 4-3 in Sunshine State Conference play while Florida Tech fell to 3-12 overall and 0-7 in SSC play.
 
Five Fighting Knights had double-digit scoring performances including graduate student Carson Smith (19 points), junior Sveinn Birgisson (16 points), junior Leo Beath (15 points), junior Braydon Iuli (13 points), and graduate student Jordan Wilkins (12 points). It marks the most players with double-digit scoring this season since the 118-66 win over Trinity Baptist on Dec. 21.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Following the opening tip, Lynn was off to the races, scoring six-straight points by the 16:04 mark, 6-0. The Fighting Knights continued to run up their lead as a pair of free-throws from senior Osei Price put the Blue and White up by eight at 12-4 before a deep three from junior Braydon Iuli improved Lynn's lead to nine on the next offensive possession, 15-6 with 13:55 left in the period.
 
Florida Tech's Max Polk looked to single handily pull the Panthers back in the contest, sinking a three-point jumper before going two-for-two at the charity stripe to make the game just a four-point affair at 15-11 with 12:37 left in the half. A quick layup from the Panthers brought the game within two at 15-13 as Polk continued to attack the Lynn defense with a massive three-point shot to give FT its first lead of the game at 16-15 with 11:18 left in the first. The Panthers went on to build their lead up to three at 22-19 following a pull-up jumper from Florida Tech's Xavier Ford-Belton with 9:09 left in the first half.
 
With Lynn now on the offensive, Iuli knocked down another big shot from beyond the arc to tie things up at 22-22 with 8:57 left to play in the half. As the contest passed the eight minute mark, the game became knotted up four times down to the 4:27 mark. Graduate student Carson Smith broke the back-and-forth battle with a three-pointer to give Lynn a three point advantage with just over four minutes left to play in the half,  33-30.
 
The Panthers attempted to trade blows with the Blue and White, pulling within one at 33-32, before Smith continued his hot streak with a steal and score to kickstart a six point run for Lynn, 39-32 with 1:52 left in the half. Florida Tech knocked down a three to cut Lynn's lead back down to four before the Fighting Knights closed off the half on a 7-1 run, holding a 10-point advantage by halftime, 46-36.
 
First Half: Lynn 46, Florida Tech 36
 
Out of the break, Florida Tech looked to cut down Lynn's lead, rushing out on a 4-0 run to start the second half, 46-40. Junior Leo Beath answered back with a quick three-pointer and a layup to put Lynn up by double-digits once again at 11, 51-40 with 17 minutes left in regulation. A three-pointer from Smith put the Fighting Knights up by their highest lead of the night at 14, 54-40 with 16:26 left to play.
 
Following a three-point spurt by the Panthers, Lynn exploded for a massive 14-1 run which included three shots from Iuli, Smith and junior Sveinn Birgisson that all were from beyond the arc as the Fighting Knights led by 24 at the 11:28 mark, 68-44.
 
Down the stretch, Lynn continued to maintain its heavy-handed lead as a layup from Beath put the Fighting Knights up by 26 before a three-point jumper from graduate student Jordan Wilkins propelled the Blue and White to a 29-point lead at the 5:42 mark. Later, Wilkins dropped in another three to put Lynn up by 30 with 4:38 left to play.
 
Lynn closed out the game on a final 10-3 run to cap off what was a dominant all-around shooting performance for the Fighting Knights as the Blue and White scored a dominant 97-60 win by the final buzzer.
 
Final: Lynn 97, Florida Tech 60
 
FIGHTING KNIGHTS STATS:

 
UP NEXT:
Lynn will now look to keep the momentum against Rollins, who is set to host the Fighting Knights on Saturday, Jan. 11 at 4 p.m. in Winter Park, Fla.