ST. MARY'S CITY, Md. – The St. Mary's College of Maryland men's basketball team opened 2024 with a tough non-conference loss Wednesday evening (Jan. 3) despite 23 points from fifth-year captain Daryn Alexander (Twinbrook, Md./Richard Montgomery). St. Mary's College (6-8) lost a barn burner with Salisbury University (9-6), 62-60.
 
How It Happened

• The game featured nine lead changes and four tied scores.
• Three different Seahawks scored as St. Mary's jumped out to a 6-0 lead within the first three minutes of the game.
• A pair of Jordan Oates' free throws gave the Sea Gulls their first lead of the game, 10-8, at 12:59. Reed Rebstock then made two of three free throws to stretch Salisbury's advantage to four just before the 12-minute mark.
• The Seahawks used a five-point swing behind buckets from guards James Lerner (Herndon, Va./Maret) and Micah Henry (Laurel, Md./Hammond) to regain a 13-12 lead at 10:09.
• The two sides exchanged leads for the next three minutes before two more free throws by Oates sparked a 15-9 run. An Aidan Camper layup capped the run to give SU its biggest lead of the half (31-24).
• Alexander drained a deep three-pointer as time expired to send St. Mary's into halftime only down 31-27.
• Salisbury increased the gap to 10 at 17:17 with a 6-0 start to the second half.
• Six straight points by Alexander and a Henry jumper knotted the contest at 46-all midway through the half, capping a 19-9 run by the Seahawks.
• A three-pointer by sophomore guard Jaden Walker (York, Pa./West York Area) pulled St. Mary's within 52-51 before a layup by senior captain Hollique Johnson (Glen Burnie, Md./Old Mill) returned a one-point lead to the hosts at 6:15.
• Johnson drained a triple for the Seahawks' final lead of the game – 56-55 at 3:59.
• SU closed out the contest on a 7-4 spurt to clinch the two-point non-conference victory.

 
Inside the Box Score

• St. Mary's posted a +3-turnover margin with a season-low eight turnovers while gaining 13 points off 11 Sea Gull miscues.
• The Sea Gulls dominated the glass with a 44-26 rebounding margin behind a game-best 18 boards from Oates.
• The Seahawks shut out Salisbury in fast break points, 16-0, while the Sea Gulls posted a 12-5 margin in second chance points.
• St. Mary's defended the perimeter well, holding SU to 2-of-15 from downtown, while the Seahawks knocked down seven three-pointers.
• More than half of Salisbury's 62 points came in the paint, outscoring the hosts, 34-22.

 
St. Mary's College Game Notes

• Alexander paced the Seahawks with 23 points, seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal.
• Henry contributed 14 points, five boards, and two dimes.

 
Salisbury Game Notes

• The Sea Gulls snapped a two-game skid behind Oates' eighth double-double of the season. Oates finished with game-highs of 25 points and 18 boards plus a game-best three blocks.

 
Up Next for the Seahawks

• Jan. 6 vs. Penn College (4-10, 1-1 UEC) – St. Mary's City, Md. (MPOARC Arena) – 1 p.m.

 
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