MBB overcomes slow start to stay unbeaten

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA – Junior guard Bernard Lightsey (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) scored 10 of Lincoln's final 12 points as the Lions overcame a slow start to remain unbeaten with the 78-73 victory over Salem Saturday at the T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.

Box Score

 

It marks the first road victory by either team in the five-game history of the series.
 

Lightsey (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) finished with a team-high 23 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 6-of-10 from three-point range, with three assists and two rebounds. His final two three-pointers both came as the home team pulled to within one point down the stretch.
 

Junior Ja'Zere Noel (Woodbury, N.J./Woodbury) (Woodbury, N.J./Woodbury) added 13 points and six boards.
 

Junior Zahrion Blue (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) (Princeton, N.J./Princeton) recorded his first double-double of the season, the tenth of his career, with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He added a team-high four assists and was tied with senior Deaquan Williams (Camden, N.J./Camden) (Camden, N.J./Camden) for team-best four steals.
 

While Lightsey's shooting brought the game home, freshman Nasir Lett (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) hit potentially the biggest shot of the game. In his first official collegiate appearance, and on just his second shot attempt, Lett drilled a corner three-pointer with 8:37 remaining to give Lincoln a lead (65-62) it wouldn't relinquish.
 

After a three-pointer to open the game, the Lions seemingly struggled early with Salem zone as the Tigers scored 17 of the next 21 points to take a 10-point lead. Lincoln settled in, kept the lead from expanding, and started to trim into its deficit.
 

Lincoln forced three turnovers and Noel started heating up during a pivotal 19-5 run. The junior forward scored 12 of the 19 points as the Lions shot a blistering 7-of-9, including 5-of-7 from distance. Salem scored eight straight points in almost three minutes to pull to within two, but a three-pointer by redshirt junior Isaiah Miles (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park) (Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park) at the buzzer gave the Lions some breathing room.
 

Back-to-back deep three-pointers from Salem capped a 15-5 run to start the second half, and Lincoln needed a timeout, trailing by five. The message was well-received as LU tallied eight straight to stem the tide, and the aforementioned Lett three-pointer set the tone of the rest of the contest.
 

Lincoln (3-0) returns home 1 p.m. Saturday as Ferris State becomes to first nationally-ranked D2 team to visit Manuel Rivero Hall. It marks the first time the Lions have faced a nationally-ranked team since a 51-46 loss to #14 St. Leo on November 23, 2012.