SALISBURY, Md. – A back-and-forth battle between two Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) foes went against the Salisbury University men's basketball team as the Sea Gulls three-game win streak was snapped by St. Mary's with a 68-65 loss on Saturday.

THE RUNDOWN

Final Score: St. Mary's 68, Salisbury 65
Records: Salisbury (8-10, 2-1 CAC) | St. Mary's (6-12, 1-2 CAC)
Location: Maggs PAC – Salisbury, Md.

BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Salisbury had a slow start, falling behind 8-0 in the early goings before Mike Ward put Salisbury's first points on the board when he split two free throws two and a half minutes into the game.
• The Sea Gulls erased their early deficit to take a 23-21 lead at 7:14 left in the half when Johnny Fierstein converted an and-one.
• The two teams traded the lead three more times before Salisbury took the 34-33 lead into the break when Fierstein put back a miss by Gary Briddell as time expired in the half.
• Salisbury stretched its lead to five points, 45-40, four minutes into the second half when the Sea Gulls made four of their first six shots to the start the second half.
• A J.P. Krotulis three-pointer at the top the arc, his first of the season, pushed Salisbury to its largest lead of the game with a 54-46 lead over St. Mary's with 11:38 left in regulation.
• St. Mary's went on a 10-0 run that spanned six minutes to take the 56-54 lead with 6:34 to go in the game.
• Salisbury took the 57-56 lead with just over six minutes on the clock after Briddell stole the ball at midcourt and passed ahead to an open Ward on the wing for three.
• Miles Gillette quickly answered with back-to-back points, including a three-pointer to give St. Mary's the 61-57 lead with four minutes on the clock.
• Salisbury was able to cut the St. Mary's lead to a single point twice during the final four minutes of the contest with Salisbury down 66-65 with five seconds left in regulation.
• Needing to foul, the Sea Gulls sent Dee Barnes to the line but Barnes converted both of his free throws to make it a three-point game.
• Cameron Heard's desperation half-court three to tie the game as time expired went high off the backboard to give St. Mary's the win.

GAME NOTES

• Johnny Fierstein led the Salisbury offense with 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting along with 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. Fierstein also pulled down six rebounds.
• Devin Garrett paced the Salisbury bench with 13 points and a team-high nine rebounds and two blocks.
• Mike Ward notched nine points and seven rebounds while Gary Briddell and Cameron Heard each netted eight points. Briddell also added six rebounds, four assists and two steals.
• Four Seahawks scored double figures led by Miles Gillette's 21 points.
• Salisbury reeled in 42 rebounds compared to St. Mary's 36.
• The Sea Gulls shot 39.4 percent (26-of-66) from the floor and made 8-of-12 from the free-throw line.

UP NEXT

• Salisbury wraps up its three-game conference homestand on Saturday, Jan. 25 when Christopher Newport makes the trip north.
• The CAC matchup is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
• It is the Sea Gulls annual alumni game.
• Video and live stats are available for the contest.