CAMBRIDGE, MA -- Regis College knocked off Lesley University Monday night, 56-51, in both teams' season opener.

Derrick Neal led the Pride with 12 points, while Darrin Kelly scored all of his 11 after halftime as the Pride let a 10-point second half lead slip away, only to hold on in the closing minutes.

Lesley's Bryant Itonyo led all scorers with 13, and John Sanchez followed up his 10-point effort in Saturday's exhibition loss at Division I New Hampshire with another 10.

Regis went into halftime after a hard-fought 20 minutes with a 26-23 lead. Jimmy Irmiter scored all of his eight points in the first, and Itonyo tied him for high scoring honors at half, as Regis outshot the Lynx 39 percent to 29 percent in the opening frame.

The Pride's lead ballooned to 10 inside the 16:00 mark on a Derrick Neal layup, but Lesley answered with an 8-0 run featuring Grant Cobb's second three-pointer of the half. Donald Morris' club took two separate leads over the final 10 minutes, both on Itonyo jumpers, but Regis answered with its own 8-0 run to go up seven at the 4:00 mark, never to look back.

The Pride hit its last six free throws over the final 78 seconds to ice a 56-51 victory, hitting 9-13 at the stripe in the second half. From the field, Regis shot an even 42 percent, including 45.5 percent in the second, while Lesley shot just 37 percent from the floor.

For the contest, Regis outrebounded the Lynx 27-26, with Robert Edward leading all players with nine. Both Cobb and Sanchez pulled down a team-high six for the Lynx.

Lesley travels to Western New England College on Friday night at 6 p.m., while Regis travels to Williams College to face SUNY Cobleskill.