GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Salisbury University men's basketball team saw its second showdown of the Messiah Tip-Off Tournament slip away in the final seconds as the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles found the nylon with two seconds to spare, handing the Sea Gulls a 68-66 defeat on Saturday afternoon at Hitchcock Arena on the campus of Messiah University.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Reed Rebstock powered the Salisbury offense early and often, scoring the first six points of the contest with a pair of threes to craft a 6-0 lead. The Golden Eagles answered the early stretch with five straight points to cut the margin to one.
• Rebstock nailed another look from range to retake the lead at the 17:13 mark, which held for nearly four minutes before a 5-0 run placed the Golden Eagles in front, 14-13.
• The birds traded blows, with the Sea Gulls earning a narrow 12-11 advantage across the next seven minutes. Kaiden Mines and Calvin Thomas teamed up for eight points in the final six minutes to help Salisbury close the half on a 12-4 run and tote a 37-29 lead into the locker room.
• SU unfurled a 7-2 stretch to open the second half, with Rebstock joining Jordan Oates and Cameron Heard to provide the offensive production. The Golden Eagles answered the blow with their best response of the afternoon, an 11-0 sprint that brought the game within one, 44-43.
• The Golden Eagles coasted just a feather above the Sea Gulls for the next five minutes, outscoring SU 10-9 to tie the game at 53-53. Salisbury was not long for a response, piecing together a 7-1 swing over the next three minutes to establish a 60-54 advantage.
• After evenly dividing the next six points, SUNY Brockport embarked on a 9-1 run to lock down a two-point advantage, 66-64. Thomas tied the contest once more with a critical layup with 64 seconds to play, but a Golden Eagle basket with two seconds on the clock ultimately did the Sea Gulls in, 68-66.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Reed Rebstock starred for the Sea Gulls, totaling a game-high 22 points while shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc. Rebstock has shot 52 percent (13-of-25) from the floor and an absurd 66.7 percent (10-of-15) from three-point range to begin the 2023-24 campaign.
• After scoring exactly eight points in four straight games, Calvin Thomas tallied 14 points for his first double-digit scoring effort with Salisbury.
• Jordan Oates finished one point shy of his fourth double-double, totaling nine points and a season-high 15 boards despite fouling out after 18 minutes on the floor.
• Brendan Davis dished out a team-high four assists and added four points.
• Cameron Heard collected eight points, three rebounds and three assists in the late loss.
• Kaiden Mines swiped three steals for the Sea Gulls while adding five points.
• The Sea Gulls shot 43.4 percent (23-of-53) from the field, 37.5 percent (6-of-16) from beyond the arc, and 66.7 percent (14-of-21) from the stripe.

SUNY BROCKPORT GAME NOTES

• Mekhi Beckett led the Golden Eagles with 16 points while tacking on four rebounds and three assists.
• Tony Arnold finished second on the team with 10 points.
• Danny Ashley led all glass-cleaners with five rebounds and added three assists.
• Six Golden Eagles finished with three or more boards.
• All 11 players that saw the floor for SUNY Brockport scored on the afternoon.
• The Golden Eagles shot 46.3 percent (25-of-54) from the floor, 21.4 percent (3-of-14) from three-point distance, and 60 percent (15-of-25) from the free-throw line.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls have a few days to rest and recover before traveling to the nation's capital to face the Gallaudet Bison on Wednesday, Nov. 20.
• Opening tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. from the Field House.

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Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.

To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.