SALISBURY, Md. – The Salisbury University men's basketball team earned a 76-66 victory over the Notre Dame of Maryland University Gators on Wednesday afternoon inside Maggs Gymnasium.
Jordan Oates hauled in his 1,000th career rebound just 42 seconds into the victory, becoming the fourth player in program history to join the esteemed 1,000-1,000 club.
The Sea Gulls (9-3) netted the first seven points of the battle en route to a 14-3 opening to the contest capped off by consecutive finishes by
Leon Elung. The sides traded scores before the visitors pieced together an 8-0 run, narrowing the margin to three through nine minutes, 18-15.
The Gators (3-7) answered a
Tyler Ball three-pointer with a three-point swing of their own before a pair of
Reed Rebstock treys helped Salisbury create distance with a 13-3 run, setting the score at 34-21 with just under three minutes to play in the half.
Notre Dame found a late surge in the final minutes, shrinking the lead to just four at 34-30. After a pair of
Kedrick Frink free throws, the Gators connected on a prayer from half-court to set the halftime score at 36-33.
SU claimed six of the first seven points in the second stanza before the Gators punched back with a 6-0 run, cutting the margin to just two at 42-40. Rebstock caught fire to ignite a Sea Gull swing, tallying eight points including two three-balls across the ensuing two minutes to help push the lead to nine, 52-43.
The hosts kept Notre Dame at bay until the nine-minute mark when the Gators netted six straight to bring themselves within two points, 57-55. The Sea Gulls delivered the final nail with seven minutes to go, using a 19-4 run spanning over five minutes to put the contest on ice and seal the eventual 76-66 triumph.
GAME NOTES
- Jordan Oates recorded his eighth double-double of the campaign, tallying 20 points and 18 rebounds on his historic night. Oates touts 1,246 career points and 1,017 career rebounds across 90 appearances with Salisbury, joining Sea Gull greats Andre Foreman '92, Howard Shockley '76, and Ron Gore '69 in the 1,000-1,000 club.
- Reed Rebstock sank four three-pointers on his way to a 16-point outing, good for his seventh double-digit scoring performance of the season, while adding a trio of blocks.
- Leon Elung netted his first double-double at the Division III level, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 5-of-9 from the floor.
- Brendan Davis tallied 12 points, five rebounds, and four assists in the victory.
- Kedrick Frink scored nine points while adding four rebounds and four helpers.
- The Sea Gulls shot 42.6 percent (26-of-61) from the floor, 35 percent (7-of-20) from beyond the arc, and 85 percent (17-of-20) from the free throw line.
The Sea Gulls pack their bags tomorrow for the Spartan Classic, facing York (Pa.) on Friday, Dec. 20th and Marywood the next day on the campus of York College.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming) and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's 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 won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 201 conference championships, and have produced 50 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.
