SALISBURY, Md. – For the first time since 2016, the Salisbury University men's basketball team emerged victorious over No. 20 Christopher Newport, tallying a 71-55 win at Maggs Physical Activities Center on Saturday evening. It was also Senior Night for the Sea Gulls, who honored graduate guard Cameron Heard before the game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a pair of Captain free throws, Reed Rebstock got Salisbury on the board with his first three-pointer of the day, assisted by Brendan Davis. CNU cashed in from range on the other end, but Cameron Heard dropped in a mid-range bucket to tie the contest at 5-5 through two minutes.
• Jordan Oates answered a 5-0 CNU run with nine points of his own across the next four minutes, sinking two freebies before burying a three-ball to tie the contest once more. He added two more free throws and a layup to put SU back in front, 14-12 with just over 12 minutes to play in the half.
• Following a Captain basket, Salisbury kicked into a new gear on both ends of the floor. The Sea Gulls threw up 14 unanswered points across the ensuing five minutes, establishing a 28-14 advantage with 5:09 left in the frame.
• The Captains attempted to narrow the gap but got no closer than nine, with Salisbury outscoring CNU 6-4 in the final two minutes to lead 36-25 at the half.
• Rebstock and Calvin Thomas combined for nine points in the first three minutes of the second half to help keep the Captains at arms-length, maintaining a 45-32 margin.
• Salisbury embarked on a 10-3 run to further widen the gap to 20 points, 55-35, with just under 13 minutes remaining. The Captains felt the pressure and responded, unfurling a 15-1 run spanning nearly seven minutes to flip the momentum, 56-50.
• After nearly three scoreless minutes, Aidan Camper found the bank open from distance, pushing the margin to nine. He answered a CNU basket with another three-pointer to return the double-digit cushion, 62-52.
• The Captains put together a three-point swing and looked to rally, but Rebstock nailed a monumental corner three while being fouled and completed the four-point play in reply, widening the gap to 11.
• Salisbury held CNU scoreless in the final two minutes and added five more, securing the historic 71-55 victory in Cameron Heard's final game in front of the Salisbury faithful.

SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Jordan Oates narrowly missed his seventh consecutive double-double, posting a team-high 17 points and adding nine rebounds while collecting trios of assists and blocks.
• Reed Rebstock picked up his third double-double of the campaign with 16 points and 10 rebounds against the Captains.
• Calvin Thomas posted 13 points and four rebounds in the victory.
• Cameron Heard tallied nine points, seven rebounds, and four assists in his final home game.
• Brendan Davis compiled five rebounds, three assists, and two points.
• The Sea Gulls shot 42.6 percent (23-of-54) from the field, 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from three-point range, and 50 percent (17-of-34) from the free-throw line.
• Saturday's victory was the first over CNU for head coach Maurice Williams in his tenure at SU.

CNU GAME NOTES

• Toa Hollenbeck finished with a game-high 20 points and four rebounds.
• Collin Hines totaled 13 points and eight rebounds, adding three assists, two steals, and two blocks.
• Jahn Hines and Ethan Ward each hauled in seven boards. The former added six points, three assists, and two steals.
• The Captains shot 26 percent (19-of-73) from the floor, 16.7 percent (6-of-36) from beyond the arc, and 55 percent (11-of-20) from the charity stripe.

UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls set their sights on the 2024 Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) Tournament, hosted by the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va. beginning Thursday, Feb. 22 and running through Saturday, Feb. 24.
• Seedings and matchups for the C2C Tournament will be announced on Monday.

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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.