CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - In a match up with the team with the best record in the North Atlantic Conference, the Lesley University men's basketball squad lost 83-58 to Elms College.  With the loss, the Lynx dropped to 6-15 (4-5 NAC) while the Blazers improved to 15-6 (8-2 NAC). 

Freshman Jon Cruz (Haverhill, Mass.) scored a team-high 15 points in the loss, shooting 6-of-8 from the floor.  Senior Mark Stevens (Las Vegas, Nev.) was the only other Lynx player in double-figures, as he finished with 12 points. 

Senior captain Joe Chatman (Boston, Mass.) tallied enough points to pass 1,000 career collegiate points, finishing with nine.  Chatman has spent time at UMass-Lowell and Franklin Pierce, but scored the majority of his points in a Lynx uniform.  In his two years at Lesley, he has averaged 18.0 ppg in 47 contests to date.

The Blazers were led by sophomore guard Juan Galdon (Holyoke, Mass.) who, in just 24 minutes of playing time, had 15 points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal.  Elms saw contributions from several players as Malakie Berry (Enfield, Conn.), Nate Hawes (New Hope, Minn.), and Randy Hite (Hartford, Conn.) scored in double-digit points with 12, 10, and 10, respectively.  Junior guard Aswad Thomas (Hartford, Conn.) found his teammates often as he had a game-high six assists. 

Elms took the lead with a 15-4 run early in the first half and never relinquished the advantage.  The Lynx were able to trim the lead down to six points at one point in half, but the Blazers went into the locker room up 51-33. 

In the second half, the Lynx could not get their offense going as they shot 37.5% from the field and committed 16 turnovers.  Free throws were also a problem for the Lynx as they hit just eight of their 20 free throw attempts for the game. 

The Blazers will next travel to Castleton State College and Johnson State College for a weekend series in Vermont while the Lynx will host Husson College and Maine Maritime Academy for two crucial North Atlantic Conference games.

To learn more about the Lesley University men's basketball team, please visit their website.