LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, PA - Lincoln University senior All-American guard Kyle Myrick scored 49 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out six assists to lift the top-seeded Lions to a 99-79 victory over No. 2 seed Saint Joseph's College (Maine) in the championship game of the Association of Division III Independents tournament Saturday afternoon at Manuel Rivero Hall.

Myrick was named Tournament MVP. Also named to the All-Tournament Team were Saint Joseph's Marcus Alexander and Matt Plummer, Lincoln's Bryant Leach and Thomas Hickson, Mitchell's T.J. Smith and Newbury's Arch Mitchell.

The Monks (19-8) placed three players in double digits highlighted by Plummer's 18 points and nine rebounds. Noah LaRoche and Pat Mileski added 10 points each for Saint Joseph's.

The Lions were pushed for a half by the Monks, who trailed 45-32 at intermission. Lincoln took control of the game midway through the second half after Alexander converted a layup to bring the Monks to within, 49-38, with 17 minutes, 44 seconds remaining. Lincoln went on a 26-7 run over the next six minutes to open a 75-45 lead with 11:05 remaining.

The Monks continued battling until the final buzzer. They finished with 12 3-pointers.

Saint Joseph's, which led once in the game at 5-4 following a Mileski layup with 17:51 remaining in the first half, was within, 19-18, at the 9:05 mark of the opening 20 minutes after an Elbie Murphy basket. Lincoln scored seven consecutive points on a pair of Myrick baskets, a Leach free-throw and a Sami Wylie jumper to grab a 26-18 advantage with 7:30 remaining.

The Lions opened their first double-digit lead with 3:29 remaining in the first half (34-24) after a Myrick basket. Chad Pulkkinen drilled a 3-pointer to slice Lincoln's lead to 38-30 with 2:21 left in the first half.

The Association of Division III Independents consists of 18 Division III independent institutions that have joined together to recognize student-athletes at independent institutions, and to provide exempted postseason championship competition in nine sports in 2005-06. The Association recognizes outstanding athletic achievements of its student-athletes on a weekly, monthly and annual basis. For the second year, the Association provides statistical services for its members in seven sports. In addition, it also will announce all-Independent teams at the conclusion of nine sports this year.