LAKELAND - Lynn's Chris Hall scored a game-high 20 points and hit a pivotal shot late in the game to help the Knights hold off a furious comeback by Florida Southern, as Lynn held on for a 70-69 win.
The Knights (16-9, 7-7) led 42-28 at halftime and still led by 14 with less than six minutes to play. The Mocs (22-6, 11-3) then scored nine consecutive points, seven of them by Rob Eldridge to pull within 66-61 with 3:07 remaining. After Lynn's Brandon Kennedy and Eldridge traded baskets, Hall hit a jumper at the 2:07 mark that put the Knights on top, 70-63. Those were the final points Lynn scored.
A 3-pointer by Rion Rayfield and bucket by Zach Smith quickly cut the gap to two, and the Mocs forced a five-second count on an inbounds play to get the ball back with 54 seconds to play. Rayfield was fouled but made just one of two, giving the ball back to Lynn with the score 70-69. When Luke Postorino missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw situation, the Mocs had the ball again, but John Brown blocked a driving layup by Eldridge with 6.2 seconds remaining. The Knights again failed to convert a one-and-one at the other end, giving the Mocs one last chance at a win. Rayfield took the ball and raced up the court to beat the buzzer, but his layup under pressure from the Knights rolled off the rim as time expired.
Eldridge finished with a team-leading 19 points and Rayfield scored 15 while going three-for-six from long distance. John Thompson added 10 points and seven rebounds, while Rashaad Singleton had seven points, nine boards and two blocks.
Despite the loss, Florida Southern clinched at least a share of the Sunshine State Conference regular season title, thanks to a loss by Rollins earlier in the day. The Moccasins can claim the title outright on Wednesday night with a win at Tampa. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
