SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University men's basketball team erased an 11-point second-half deficit to take down the Apprentice School, 66-61, in the Sea Gulls' first game of 2020.

THE RUNDOWN

Final Score: Salisbury 66, Apprentice School 61
Records: Salisbury (6-9) | Apprentice (7-6)
Location: Maggs PAC – Salisbury, Md.

BOX SCORE

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After Apprentice scored the opening basket of the game, Salisbury rifled off a 16-2 run that spanned six-plus minutes. Salisbury shot 6-of-8 from the floor during the run which was capped off by a tip-in layup by Lucas Martin at 14:19 mark in the first half.
• The shots went cold for Salisbury as Apprentice took a 20-18 lead with 8:36 left in the half behind a 16-2 run of their own.
• The lead changed six more times in the first half with three ties. Salisbury was able to get a 26-22 lead with 6:31 to go in the half when Devin Garrett got his own rebound and converted the putback.
• Apprentice closed the half out on an 8-4 run to take the 37-33 lead into the halftime.
• The Builders continued to build their lead to open the second half. Apprentice extended its lead by as much as 11 points when Brandon Joyner's layup 2:30 into the second stanza gave the Builders the 44-33 lead.
• Salisbury battled back to tie the game at 49 with 8:47 left in the second half when D'Angelo Tull found an open Mike Ward for an open three-pointer to finish off a 16-3 run for the Sea Gulls.
• After Apprentice regained a slim lead, the Sea Gulls overtook the Builders for good when Gary Briddell drained a corner three to give Salisbury the 64-61 lead into the final 1:30 of the game
• Briddell sealed the game with a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the game for the home win.

GAME NOTES

• Gary Briddell led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the floor with a pair three-pointers and a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line. Briddell also added eight rebounds and two assists.
• Mike Ward registered his second double-double of the season with a 17-point, 10-rebound effort. Ward hit 6-of-11 from the field with three from beyond the arc. Ward also blocked two shots and stole the ball twice.
• Lucas Martin tallied seven points and five rebounds.
• Devin Garrett and D'Angelo Tull led the bench effort for the Sea Gulls with six points and seven rebounds apiece.
• As a team, Salisbury won the rebounding battle with 46 boards compared to Apprentice's 40.

UP NEXT

• Salisbury opens Captial Athletic Conference play on Saturday when they travel down to Buena Vista, Va. to take on the Southern Virginia Knights.
• The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.
• Live stats and video are available.