QUINCY, Mass.- Eastern Nazarene College claimed their fourth straight victory to improve to a perfect 4-0 record on the season as they downed the Lesley University men's basketball team 97-72 tonight in a non-conference tilt at the Lahue Physical Education Center. The loss dips the Lynx to 0-6 overall.
Lequan Gomes (Fairfield, Calif.) posted a double-double with game-highs of 27 points and 12 rebounds. Christian Lynch (Alpharetta, Ga.) finished with 17 points, six assists and five boards off the bench. Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) tallied 15 points while Jaylen Owens (Johns Creek, Ga.) recorded 13 points and six assists.
Lesley's Terrell Toney (Lakewood, Wash.) and Jacob DiDomenico (North Providence, R.I.) each poured in 14 points for the guests. Toney added three rebounds, three steals, and an assist to his line while DiDomenico pulled down a team-best seven boards. Pierre St. Simon (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and Xeo Golding (Windermere, Fla.) each added nine points while Mahlik McLeod (Elmont, N.Y.) came off the bench to add eight points for the Lynx.
The home team generated a six-point lead just three minutes into the contest, 10-6, as Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) dished the ball to Gomes in the paint for a layup.
Eastern Nazarene then extended the margin to 14 with 13:24 remaining in the half on a Wagner three-pointer.
Lesley utilized a 12-0 run capped by a pair of Charlie Reznikoff (Wilton, Conn.) to cut the deficit to four with 2:31 left to play in the period, but ENC responded with another pair of treys by Wagner to restore their lead to double-figures, 41-31.
Christian Lynch banked in back-to-back layups for the hosts in the final 30 seconds of the first half, including a left-handed scoop-shot just before the buzzer to give the home side a 46-35 lead at the break.
Eastern Nazarene connected on 55.6% of its field-goal attempts in the first frame while Lesley shot 45.2% from the floor.
Gomes led all players with 12 points at halftime while Christian Lynch netted 10 points.
The Lynx drained a pair of three-pointers to start the second half and narrow the gap to 46-41, but once again the Lions had an answer and regained a double-digit edge with 14:39 remaining on a triple by Gomes, 54-43. Eastern Nazarene would not relinquish the lead as en route to collecting its fourth-consecutive victory.
The Lions shot 52.1% from the floor on the night and drained 10 three-pointers on 29 efforts. The Lynx finished with a field-goal percentage of 44.4% in the game to go with 6-of-18 shooting from the perimeter.
Lesley will return back to Cambridge on Monday, November 30 when they play host to Plymouth State University at 8:00p while Eastern Nazarene will return to the court on Friday, November 27 at home against Pine Manor in the first game of the ENC-Curry Thanksgiving Classic.