CAMBRIDGE, MA –Lesley University broke a 38-38 halftime tie by outscoring the Mariners 35-13 over the first 13:46 of the second half in the Lynx 83-68 victory over Mitchell College in New England Collegiate Conference play Tuesday night at the Nicholas Athletics Center.

            John Sanchez (Carson, CA/Saint John Bosco) led all players with 22 points on 11-14 shooting, dishing out a game-high 11 assists to only two turnovers in his first double-double of the season. Fellow senior Bryant Itonyo (Medford, MA/Medford) shot 4-9 from three-point range for 14 points to lead a Lynx aerial attack that shot a scorching 13-25 (52 percent) from downtown as Lesley improved to 11-12 and 7-8 in NECC play.

            The Lynx knocked down nine first-half three-pointers in creating what was a 10-point lead, but Mitchell hit 5-7 from distance in the first half, including back-to-back treys from Enoch Contreras (Boca Raton, FL/West Boca) and Joshua Ford (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) that tied the contest at 38-38 at the break. Lynx guards Itonyo and Matt Gibson (Quincy, MA/Lexington Catholic) each knocked down two triples in the first, including one from Gibson that sent the Lynx up 36-26, but Ford led a 12-2 run with a pair of baskets to force a tie at the break.

            Gibson scored on a reverse layup and a baseline spin move out of halftime as Lesley took a 44-38 lead out of the half, and Itonyo's third three made it a 49-40 game inside the 15:00 mark. His fourth and final trey ignited a 12-0 Lesley run that blew the Mariners out of the water for good at 73-51 in the final six minutes.

            Gibson finished 13 points on 5-7 shooting, hitting 3-5 from distance, and Justin Rosa (East Brunswick, NJ/Marist High) rounded out four Lynx in double-figures with 12 on 5-8 shooting from the floor, 2-4 from deep.

            Ford led Mitchell (5-17, 3-12 NECC) with 20 points, tying with Lesley's Kris Bennett (Las Vegas, NV/Durango) for game-high honors with seven rebounds. Terrance Fisher (Richmond, VA/Richmond Christian) and Contreras each added 11, the latter handing out a team-best six assists with only two turnovers.

            Lesley honors seniors Sanchez, Itonyo and John Stockton in their final home game on Thursday night against Salem State at 8:00. Mitchell takes on first-place Becker on Saturday.