SALISBURY, Md. - For one half
the Salisbury University men's basketball team held a seven-point
lead over No. 21 Virginia Wesleyan College, the 2005-06 national
champions and last year's national finalist. The Marlins (7-2)
erased Salisbury's 37-30 halftime lead en route to an 87-69 victory
Saturday afternoon before 150 at the Maggs Center.
Salisbury sophomore Greg Palmer scored 14 of
his game-high 24 points in the first half as he drained four
three-pointers. Palmer also grabbed a team-high five rebounds for
the Sea Gulls (2-9). This is the eighth straight loss for the
maroon and gold.
VWC scored 19 points off 10 Salisbury turnovers in the second
half as the Marlins outscored the Sea Gulls, 57-32. The game was
tied nine different times and saw eight lead changes as the Marlins
took the lead for good five minutes into the second half on a
jumper made by TonTon Balenga (11 points, four assists, three
steals).
The Marlins had five players score in double figures led by
forward Tyler Fantin and guard Terrell Dixon who both scored 16
points apiece. Fantin had a double-double with his 10 rebounds,
which were a game-high. Sophomore Stephen Fields came off the bench
to score 15 points and grab seven rebounds. Forward Norman Hassell
netted 15 points in the win for VWC.
In addition to Palmer, Salisbury had three other players score
double figures. Senior forward Jonas Vaitkus
scored 12 points, grabbed four rebounds and made three blocks.
Junior Brandon Abney netted 11 points and matched
Vaitkus with four boards. A new spark off the bench for the Sea
Gulls was junior Wesley Sweet, who poured in 10
points in his maroon and gold debut. Sweet is a transfer from
Tusculum College (Tenn.) and is a Fort Washington, Md., native.
The Marlins outrebounded the Sea Gulls 33-31 and shot 60.7
percent from the field in the game-changing second half. SU shot
50.9 percent from the field for the entire game.
Salisbury will travel to Chestertown, Md., on Monday to face
Eastern Shore rival Washington (Md.) College for a 7:30 p.m.
contest.
