Box Score
Charleston, S.C. – Senior guard Alex Franz (Catonsville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) poured in a career-high 25 points but the No. 14 St. Mary's College of Maryland men's basketball team still suffered their second loss of the season, dropping a 72-64 decision at NCAA Division I The Citadel on Monday night.
Franz was 11-of-18 from the floor, including three long-range shots, while adding three rebounds and three steals. Senior captain Sam Burum (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) was the only other Seahawk to notch double figures as Burum tallied 15 points and grabbed a game-best eight rebounds.
The Citadel (3-5) rolled out to an 18-5 lead at 13:38 on a three-pointer by senior guard Zach Urbanus (Austin, Texas/James Bowie) and the Bulldogs never looked back. Burum's layup pulled the visitors within five with 8:10 remaining as he capped a 13-5 run. Franz and junior guard James Davenport (Owings Mills, Md./Loyola Blakefield) each had eight first-half points as their team fell behind 39-30 at halftime.
Franz scored the first nine points of the second stanza for the Seahawks while Burum topped off the run with a three-point play to have their team within 47-42 with 12:44 left in the game. The Bulldogs used a 17-6 run to rebuild their lead to 16 as 6:45 remained in the contest.
St. Mary's (5-2) was not done yet as the Seahawks forged a 16-3 run of its own to close the gap to 67-64 as Burum finished the run with a jumper in the paint at 1:14. Senior guard Cameron Wells (Houston, Texas/Bellaire) sealed the win for the Bulldogs with his first bomb of the night at 00:32. Back-to-back turnovers cut short St. Mary's rally.
The Citadel benefited from 31 points off 21 Seahawk miscues. Five Bulldogs finished in double figures with Urbanus and Wells leading the way with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Senior forward Bryan Streeter (Jacksonville, N.C./White Oak) added 11 points and a game-high eight caroms.
St. Mary's will returns home Wednesday, December 8 to resume Capital Athletic Conference action with York (Pa.) College in the second half of Wednesday night's league doubleheader. The men tip-off at 8:00 pm following the completion of the women's game that begins at 6:00 pm.
