Waterville, ME - Northern Vermont University-Lyndon built a 20-point lead early in the second half of Saturday's North Atlantic Conference men's basketball game at Thomas College. The Hornets were then able to hold off the Terriers and escape with a 90-87 victory. The win was Lyndon's first in five NAC contests and raises their overall record to 3-11. Thomas falls to 4-7 on the season and 1-4 in conference.

The Hornets jumped out to an 11-2 lead just three minutes into the game, ignited by consecutive three-point goals from Antonio Carlisle (St. Johnsbury, VT), Zach Falkenburg (Bridgeport, NY), and Tyrese Harris (Fort Benning, GA), and an inside basket from Jaden Phillips (Phoenix, AZ). After the Terriers climbed back to within two at 13-11, a quick 7-0 Lyndon run pushed the advantage back to nine points at the 12:02 mark. The Hornets continued to extend their lead from there, opening up an 18-point margin at halftime. Mondwell Bukle (Pyeongtaek, South Korea) was a key to the Hornet run, as he scored 14 of his 17 points in the opening half on perfect six of six shooting.

Lyndon took their biggest lead, 54-34, following a Luke Fredsell (Whitesboro, NY) jumper at the 17:11 mark of the second half. The Hornets and Terriers went back and forth over the next several minutes, until a Bukle three-pointer made it 68-51, Lyndon, with 13:16 to go.

At that point the Terriers began to chip away. When Demetris Webster knocked down a jump shot at the 8:23 mark to pull Thomas to within 75-66, the Lyndon lead was down to single digits for the first time since the early going of the first half. A Trevor Reed putback basket made it 75-70 with 7:25 to go, before a Harris layup momentarily stopped the bleeding.

Thomas maintained their momentum, however, and when Webster scored at the 5:14 mark, Thomas had come all the way back to pull even at 77-77. After the Hornets came up empty on their next trip down the floor, Matthew Hadnot knocked down a jumper to give Thomas their first lead at 79-77. The lead would prove to be short lived, as Carlisle connected on a corner three ball on the next Lyndon possession to put the Hornets back up one. Webster and Carlisle then traded pairs of free throws before the Hornets came up with a big defensive stop to get the ball back with the lead.

On the next Hornet possession, Phillips came up with a lose ball following a scramble under the Hornet basket and kicked it out to Falkenburg, who drained the three-pointer to give the Hornets a four point advantage. However, two more Webster free throws and a Parker Desjardins pullup jumper following an empty Hornet possession tied things again at 85-85 with 2:16 to go.

Lyndon came up with a defensive stop on the next Thomas possession, and when Falkenburg converted an old fashioned three-point play, Lyndon led 90-85 with 1:34 to go. With 43 seconds remaining, Rico Limacaoco made one of two free throws to cut the Lyndon lead to four. Lokiron Anda then came up with a steal and was fouled at the 30 second mark. Anda made one of two to make it a three-point game. After Lyndon turned the ball over on their next possession, Thomas had a chance to tie, but their three-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark, allowing the Hornets to escape with the win.

Falkenburg paced Lyndon with 24 points, and Carlisle added 23. Bukle ended with 17 points, and Harris added 14 and five assists. Phillips pulled down a game high 13 rebounds and also recorded five assists. The Thomas backcourt of Webster and Desjardins combined for 58 points, with Webster leading the way with 30 and Desjardins following with 28. Anda led Thomas with 10 boards.

The Hornets made 35 of 69 field goal attempts (50.7%), including 12 of 33 (36.4%) from behind the three-point arc. Thomas made 31 of their 71 attempts (43.7%), including seven of 19 (36.8%) from distance. Thomas converted 18 of 20 from the free throw line, while Lyndon made eight of their 12 attempts. Lyndon held a slim 33-32 rebounding advantage, but committed 18 turnovers to the Terriers' 13.

Lyndon will play their first home game since early December next Friday evening when they host Maine Maritime Academy in the first of a NAC back to back. Tip-off is set for 5:30 pm in Stannard Gymnasium.