LAKELAND, Fla. - Lynn women's basketball closed with poise and persistence on Friday afternoon, using a decisive fourth-quarter run to pull away from Puerto Rico-Bayamon for a 72-64 victory at the Mocs Thanksgiving Classic. The Fighting Knights improved to 5-1 on the season behind balanced scoring, dominant work on the glass and timely shooting down the stretch to secure the Black Friday win.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Lynn set the tone early as Trinity Mocadlo finished a layup off an Angelina Deleon assist, and Deleon scored in transition for an early 4-0 cushion less than a minute into the contest
- Puerto Rico-Bayamon answered from deep, but Hannah Wentworth caught fire from the perimeter with back-to-back threes, stretching the Lynn advantage to 12-5
- UPRB used the offensive glass and a three-pointer to spark a response, pulling even at 17-17 and briefly grabbing the lead before Katie Tiffan closed the opening frame with a layup and a right-wing three to send Lynn into the break up 22-21
- Wentworth opened the quarter with a second-chance three, and Lynn's relentless offensive rebounding led to an Alana Francis tip-in, pushing the Fighting Knights out to a 29-21 lead
- Puerto Rico-Bayamon responded behind a mix of perimeter shooting and free throws to erase the deficit and briefly take a 31-30 advantage
- Both teams traded blows down the stretch, with Mocadlo knocking down a second-chance three before UPRB regained the edge late in the period
- A 7-0 run capped by fast-break buckets and a Tessa O'Leary three in the final seconds sent Lynn into the locker room holding a 42-38 halftime lead
- Out of the break, Lynn forced multiple offensive fouls and turnovers to open the half, maintaining a slim advantage
- Mocadlo added a free throw and Deleon converted at the line to hold a 44-38 lead midway through the period
- Puerto Rico-Bayamon capitalized on turnovers and free throws to surge ahead, using quick baskets to build a 50-44 cushion late in the frame
- The Blue and White closed out the frame with multiple stops and a flurry of free throws, as Wentworth knocked down three shots from the line and Deleon calmly converted three free throws with no time left in the period
- The Fighting Knights trimmed the deficit and swung momentum back to their side with a 51-50 lead entering the fourth
- Lynn came out of the quarter hot as O'Leary knocked down a jumper and Wentworth drilled another three from the wing, capping a 7-1 spurt that pushed the margin to 58-51 and forced another Bayamon timeout
- Later in the fourth, O'Leary and Karishma Ortiz connected on a second-chance layup, and Mocadlo added a fast-break finish to restore a two- and then three-possession cushion
- With Lynn leading by six, O'Leary stepped into a timely three from the top of the key to make it 66-56, and Mocadlo later powered in another second-chance layup for a 70-60 advantage entering the final minute
- Mocadlo sealed the result at the line with two free throws in the closing seconds as the Fighting Knights closed out a hard-fought 72-64 Black Friday victory
 
FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Lynn finished with 72 points, highlighted by a 42-point first half, shooting 48.5% from the field (16-for-33) and 50.0% from three (7-for-14) before the break
- Wentworth led all Fighting Knights with 18 points, knocking down five three-pointers while adding four assists
- O'Leary provided a major spark off the bench with 16 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc
- Mocadlo added 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, and a block, while getting to the line eight times
- Lynn featured four players in double figures, with Deleon contributing nine points, including the game-sealing free throws in the final second
- The Fighting Knights controlled the glass with a 41–25 rebounding advantage, including 17 offensive boards that turned into 18 second-chance points
- Lynn's depth made a huge difference, as the bench accounted for 20 points in the 72–64 victory
 
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights close out their run in the Mocs Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday afternoon when they take on Lake Erie at noon.