WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic men's basketball team returned home to Rubin Arena to host Saint Leo in a Sunshine State Conference matchup.

The home fans were treated to an exciting matchup that came down to the final buzzer. With the Lions (8-7, 3-4 SSC) leading 87-85, the Sailfish (9-6, 3-4 SSC) forced a stop with eight seconds to go the length of the floor and tie the game. PBA got a decent look around the basketball, but the ball just rimmed out as Saint Leo came away with the two-point win.

PBA was treated to a pair of 19-point performances from Jamaal Walker and Marcus Montalvo. Montalvo added eight assists and a steal to his stat line. Walker finished with seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal in addition to his scoring. Trent McNair played well, scoring 16 points with four rebounds, two steals, and a block. Will Lee tallied 10 points and a team-high 10 assists. Grant Ledford added eight points with three rebounds. Broderick Ellis led the Sailfish with eight rebounds, including three on the offensive end.

The first half was very back-and-forth until the 5:37 mark. 3-pointers from McNair and Montalvo kickstarted a 12-0 run that gave the Sailfish a 40-27 lead. The Lions ended the half on an 8-2 run of their own to cut into the PBA lead before the break. The 'Fish lead 42-35 at halftime.

The PBA defense held Saint Leo to 38 percent shooting from the field. Montalvo scored 11, Walker scored 10, and McNair scored eight in the first half.

The second half was an offensive showcase for each team. Some turnovers by the Sailfish allowed SLU to chip away at the PBA lead. A Lions 3-pointer made it 61-58 with 12 minutes to play. Saint Leo got into the bonus with 14 minutes to play, resulting in 16 free throws in the second half. The visitors got hot from the field, converting on eight of their last nine field-goal attempts. 

The Sailfish hung with the Lions' firepower as the teams traded leads down the stretch. Montalvo poked away a steal for a breakaway layup to tie the game at 83 with 2:15 to go in the contest. SLU regained the lead after a pair of free throws, but the Sailfish tied the game again at 85 after a floater by Walker. The Sailfish forced a turnover on the defensive end, but PBA turned it over themselves on the baseline. Saint Leo missed its final field goal of the game, but the Sailfish couldn't convert as time expired. The Lions held on to win, 87-85.

Although the Sailfish shot 59 percent in the second half, they were still outdone by the Lions, shooting 70 percent from the field and 84 percent from 3-point range.

The Sailfish made more threes than Saint Leo, but the Lions made up for it at the charity stripe. SLU shot 28 free throws in the game compared to 13 for PBA. The 'Fish won the battle of the boards, 33-27. The Sailfish totaled 14 turnovers compared to 11 for SLU, which netted two extra points for the Lions.

PBA returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Palm Beach County rival Lynn. The game in Rubin Arena starts at 7 p.m.