Hernando Reporter

It was a traditional rivalry game between the Saint Leo University Men's basketball team and the University of Tampa, battling back and forth and fighting to the finish, as the Lions ultimately topped Tampa 79-71 at the Marion Bowman Activities Center.

Guard Kanon Koster matched his career-high in scoring, recording 31 points by shooting 14 of 22 from the floor, while posting eight rebounds and two assists.  Forward Marty Jackson was one rebound shy of a double-double, tallying 17 points on the night.

Overall, the Lions (11-5, 3-3 SSC) returned to its offensive rhythm, shooting 54% from the field and 50% from beyond the arch.  One minor setback was the free-throw game, as the Green & Gold only converted three of its seven shots.

After both teams exchanged two baskets, Saint Leo went on an 11-2 run to push out to a double-digit lead (16-6) midway through the first half before the Spartans (5-7, 4-2 SSC) kept the difference to single digits for the remainder of the half.

The Lions kept its lead up to midpoint of the second half, as Tampa's DeAndre Harvey drilled a deep shot to give the Spartans its first lead (57-54) since the opening minutes.

Down 69-63 with under five minutes to play, the Green & Gold rode on the scoring talents of Koster and Jackson, finishing the game on a 14-2 run to win 77-71 and win its third Sunshine State Conference contest. 

Saint Leo is back on the hardwood Saturday evening, hosting Lynn in another conference showdown.  Tipoff at the Marion Bowman Activities Center is scheduled for 6 p.m.

For the latest news, updates, and information on Saint Leo Men's basketball, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Original source can be found here.