BATESVILLE, Arkansas - Israel Palmer scored a season-high 37 points and Kylon McCullough added 22 points to lead the Lyon College Scots past the Fontbonne Griffins 96-90 in SLIAC action at Becknell Gymnasium on Thursday night.

The Scots (12-5, 9-2) are tied atop the SLIAC standings with the six-point win, which could set up a potential conference regular season championship game two weeks from now against Greenville. Lyon College also got 10 points and seven blocks from Malik Madison and 10 points from Jones White, nine from Nikola SaSaroga, who also had nine rebounds, John Paul Morgan had six points and Frank Toney scored a basket.

McCullough, White and SaSaroga scored early, then Palmer made a three-pointer and added a free throw for a 13-2 Scots lead. Palmer completed a three-point play, Madison got a dunk, but Fontbonne got going and closed the Lyon lead to 18-14 with 12:34 to go in the first half. SaSaroga scored, Palmer made a three-pointer, McCullough had a three-pointer, Madison had a basket, SaSaroga scored and the Scots held off a charge by the Griffins to lead 30-27. 
Palmer made a three-pointer and Madison threw down a dunk, Palmer made two free throws, Madison got another dunk, Palmer hit a jump shot and McCullough had a three-pointer, then Morgan put in a shot to put the Scots up 46-30 with 3:41 to go before halftime. Palmer had a jumper, McCullough had a dunk on a fast-break, then it was the same two to score again and Palmer closed out the scoring with a three-pointer to make it 57-32 Lyon College at halftime.

Palmer scored the Scots' first basket at the 18:17 mark after Fontbonne started a run to get back in the game, 59-45. Palmer made a jump shot and Morgan scored inside, McCullough made two free throws and Madison got an alley-oop dunk on an assist from Toney to make it 67-52.
Morgan, SaSaroga and Toney scored, then Palmer hit a three-pointer and McCullough scored for a 78-64 lead. Fontbonne closed the gap to six points with 5:37 to play, but Palmer made a jump shot and made another on the Scots next trip down court, but White's three-pointer pushed Lyon out to an 86-77 lead. McCullough had a free throw, White made two free throws, Palmer made two free throws and McCullough added two  more free throws to make it 93-85 with 23 seconds left. White made three free throws to close out the scoring for the Scots. 

Lyon College hosts Principia on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m.