SAINT LEO, Fla. - Lynn men's basketball opened the new year with a complete road performance on Saturday evening, pulling away in the second half for a 77-62 Sunshine State Conference victory over Saint Leo. The Fighting Knights combined second-chance scoring, transition pressure, and a season-high night at the free-throw line to secure the win, improving to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in SSC play as they began the 2026 calendar with a key conference road victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Saint Leo struck first out of the opening tip, converting a transition three to take an early 3-0 lead
- Lynn answered right away as Justin Bubak finished a fast-break layup, then took its first lead when Max Polk buried a second-chance three after Sveinn Birgisson tracked down an offensive rebound, 5-3
- The Fighting Knights kept generating extra possessions early as Braydon Iuli added a putback layup, 7-3
- Saint Leo briefly surged behind a pair of three-pointers and trips to the free-throw line, using a turnover-triggered triple to grab an 11-7 advantage
- The Blue and White responded with a quick counterpunch: JP Baron knocked down a three, then Antoine Jacks went 3-for-3 at the charity stripe to swing momentum back to Lynn, 13-11
- The Fighting Knights' defense showed up in the mid-first half with key rim protection (Matthew Puodziukaitis block) and active rebounding, helping Lynn build up a 15-11 edge
- After Saint Leo tied and briefly moved ahead on transition, Lynn reclaimed control behind fast-break pressure as Polk finished in transition to put Lynn back on top, 17-16
- Lynn continued to manufacture points off defense as Polk recorded a steal and layup, then knocked down three free throws to help push the Blue and White lead to 28-22
- Iuli capped the late-half push with a transition layup and two free throws, and Polk drilled a late three to keep Lynn in front, 35-33 at the break
- Coming out of halftime, Lynn immediately leaned on second-chance points as John Roland scored on a putback, then Bubak finished in the paint as the Fighting Knights stretched the cushion, 39-33
- A Saint Leo turnover turned into a back-breaking sequence as Birgisson recorded a takeaway, then buried a second-chance three to make it 42-33, forcing a Lions timeout.
- Out of the break, an Iuli layup and Puodziukaitis putback helped the Fighting Knights build their largest lead of the night at 47-33
- The Lions made their push converting turnovers to points and a second-chance three, cutting the deficit to 47-42, but Lynn steadied with Roland finishing inside, 49-44
- With Saint Leo trying to climb back, Lynn got a momentum boost when the Lions were hit with a technical as Polk cashed in at the line to keep the Knights in control, 56-47
- Birgisson delivered a crucial sequence: a second-chance layup, then a steal-to-bucket stretch that pushed Lynn's lead back to double digits, 60-49
- Down the stretch, Baron and Bubak's catch-and-shoot threes helped Lynn maintain separation as the clock dwindled, 70-57
- The Blue and White closed it out at the free-throw line, with Baron and Roland combining for late makes while Lynn's defense forced multiple Saint Leo turnovers in the final minute to seal the a key SSC win on the road

FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS:
- Lynn shot 37.0% from the field and went 6-of-25 from three, while converting a season-high 31 free throws on 42 attempts at the line
- Lynn controlled the glass with a 56–34 rebounding advantage, including 11 offensive rebounds, leading to 19 second-chance points
- Lynn currently ranks second in both the SSC and the nation in rebounds per game (45.75)
- Roland recorded his fifth double-double of the season, finishing with 16 points and a game-high 14 rebounds while going 10-of-12 at the free-throw line
- Roland's 10 made free throws are the most by a Lynn player this season
- Roland leads the SSC in field-goal percentage (65.7%) and ranks top 10 nationally, while also leading the nation in offensive rebounds per game (4.75)
- Iuli added 14 points and three assists, consistently scoring in the paint and pushing the tempo
- Baron provided a major lift off the bench with 14 points, knocking down eight free throws and a key three-pointer in the second half
- Polk chipped in 13 points, including two threes, while adding five rebounds and two assists
- Birgisson filled the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds, two assists, plus a block and a steal, while shooting 1-for-1 from beyond the arc
- The Fighting Knights scored 19 bench points, reinforcing their depth; Lynn currently ranks first in the SSC and top 20 nationally in bench points per game (35.83)
- Lynn ranks first in the SSC and second nationally in three-pointers per game (12.0)

UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights return to Boca Raton for their first home contest of 2026 as they host Florida Tech inside the de Hoernle Sports and Cultural Center on Wednesday, January 7 at 7:30 pm.