CAMBRIDGE, MA – Lesley University (6-7, 3-4 NECC) shot 12-26 from three-point range, hitting 8-14 in opening up a 10-point halftime lead in its 75-62 win over visiting Daniel Webster (3-10, 2-4 NECC) Tuesday night in New England Collegiate Conference men's basketball play.

            An 18-3 first half run featuring 10 points from senior John Sanchez (Carson, CA/Saint John Bosco) and five from fellow guard Matt Gibson (Quincy, MA/Lexington Christian) broke the game open and put Lesley ahead 23-13. Five different Lynx cashed in from downtown in the first half alone, with Sanchez, Gibson and Alex Perez (San Diego, CA/La Jolla Country Day) each knocking down a pair from deep as the Lynx shot 8-14 on threes for over 57 percent for the period.

            Daniel Webster was equally as hot and hung around as a result. Justin Lewandowski (Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown) connected on his third three-pointer of the half in the closing seconds, and the Eagles went into halftime trailing 39-29.

            The visitors shot 6-10 from deep in the first half, but were outrebounded 20-14 and turned the ball over 10 times.

            Lesley kept firing out of the break, with freshman Justin Rosa (East Brunswick, NJ/Marist High) joining the act in upping the Lynx lead to 13. Senior Bryant Itonyo (Medford, MA/Medford) hit his second triple of the night, which was followed by Gibson's third, and the Lynx expanded their lead to 50-36 in the opening minutes of the second.

             Donald Morris' club took its largest lead at 60-39 when Sanchez spotted Valentine Emebo (Dorchester, MA/O'Bryant) for a layup inside the 11:00 mark, one of the guard's game-high nine assists to go with only one turnover.

            Trailing by 21 inside the 5:00 mark, Daniel Webster's John Hickson almost single handedly shot the Eagles back into the game. The junior forward orchestrated his own 13-0 run over a span of 3:15, but four different Lynx combined to shoot 6-7 at the free throw line to fend off Hickson's last-minute attack.

            Hickson scored 16 of his game-high 22 points after halftime, hitting 5-9 from three point territory. For the game, Daniel Webster shot 12-25 for 48 percent from deep, with Lesley hitting 12-26 for 46 percent. The Eagles held a 38-37 advantage on the boards, but the Lynx totaled 17 assists to only 11 turnovers, with the visitors turning the ball over 18 times.

            Sanchez led three Lynx in double-figures with 20 points on 6-12 shooting, 2-5 from three-point range. Gibson (3-6 3-PT) and Itonyo (3-8 3-PT) each followed with 13 points, and Emebo grabbed a team-best 10 rebounds.

            Lesley plays host to first-place Becker College this Saturday, when Daniel Webster takes on second place Elms College.