NEWTON, MA -- The Lynx got back in the win column after a three-game slide, holding on for a thrilling 53-50 come-from-behind win over Mount Ida in non-league play. Thorton Paul enjoyed his finest game of the season with 20 points in 28 minutes off the bench, and Lesley improved to 3-7.
A 10-0 first half run opened up a 13-9 lead for Mount Ida, which went into halftime with a 33-23 lead. Donald Morris' team, and defense in particular, came to life in the second, holding the Mustangs to 5-29 shooting in erasing the 10-point halftime deficit.
An Isiah Benjamin three-pointer gave Mount Ida its biggest lead at 33-21 with 72 seconds left in the first, but a pair of Christian Fuentes free throws pulled the Lynx to within 10 at the intermission.
Lesley opened the second with baskets from Kris Bennett and Paul, and after a pair of free throws from the Mustangs Joe Cabral, a Paul three pulled the Lynx to within five. Moments later, a Jesus Trejo layup cut the marging to three, 35-32 at the 15:41 mark.
The Mustangs upped the lead back up to seven, at 39-32, with a David Gibbs three-pointer at the 13:00 mark, but consecutive buckets from Paul later put the Lynx back within four. John Sanchez's layup made it a two-point game inside the 8:00 mark, but the Mustangs maintained a two-possession until the waning minutes, when Paul called again.
His three-pointer got the Lynx to within two at the 4:00 mark, and he hit one of two at the line to make it a one-point game with 3:13 left. The Lynx tied twice, but didn't take the lead until Paul's jumper with 42 seconds left made it a 52-50 game, giving Lesley back the lead for the first time since the opening seconds.
Junior Grant Cobb hit one of two at the line to make it 53-50, and a Benjamin three-pointer fell short at the buzzer, improving Lesley to 2-3 on the road.
Paul's game-high 20 points came on a red-hot 8-10 shooting, including 3-5 from downtown. Trejo recorded his third double-double of the season, posting 11 points and a game-best 12 rebounds. Bennett chipped in with nine boards and led all players with three blocks, as Lesley outrebounded a 47-44 advantage on the boards.
Fifty points is the fewest Morris' club has held its opponents to all season, surpassing the 56 points Lesley limited Regis to in the Lynx November 15 season opener.
Lesley travels to Elms on Saturday, opening New England Collegiate Conference play in Chicopee, MA at 2 p.m.