JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Salisbury University men's basketball team pulled away in the second half to earn a 77-63 win over the University of Maine at Presque Isle Owls on Saturday afternoon, advancing to tomorrow's Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) semifinal against third-seeded New Jersey City University at 2 p.m. on the campus of NJCU.
The Owls (20-7, 10-3 NAC) netted five of the first seven points before a 9-4 Sea Gull run produced an 11-9 lead for the maroon and gold. The Sea Gulls (17-10) got consecutive three-pointers from
Aidan Camper to lead by five through five minutes, 17-11.
Reed Rebstock powered a six-point blitz for the Sea Gulls, ballooning the lead to seven at 23-16. UMPI responded with a 9-2 rally to tie the game at 25 with just under nine minutes to play in the half.
SU parried the blow with an 8-1 stretch that returned the lead to seven before an 8-4 Owl ending to the half established a 37-34 score at the break.
The foes battled in the early minutes of the second half, with Rebstock and Camper providing back-to-back makes from range to drive a 10-4 rally that put SU in front with just under 14 minutes left, 54-44.
UMPI battled back, slicing the margin to three with a 12-5 run with 8:23 to go. Rebstock connected from range to end a near-three-minute scoring drought for either side, returning the lead to six at 62-56.
The Sea Gulls kept their aviary counterparts at bay down the stretch, 15-7, to secure the win and a spot in tomorrow's ECAC semifinal.
GAME NOTES
- Kedrick Frink scored a game-high 20 points while adding six rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals while not turning the ball over in the win.
- Reed Rebstock tallied 18 points with four made three-pointers, hauling in eight rebounds and swiping four steals.
- Aidan Camper poured in a game-high five three-pointers, finishing with 15 points and five rebounds while distributing three assists.
- Jordan Oates finished with nine points and nine boards in the win.
- The Sea Gulls shot 39.1 percent (27-of-69) from the floor, 33.3 percent (10-of-30) from beyond the arc and 68.4 percent (13-of-19) from the free throw line.
- SU outrebounded the Owls 47-35 and scored 26 second-chance points in the win.
The Sea Gulls advance to face third-seeded NJCU in tomorrow's semifinal game set to tip off at 2 p.m. in Jersey City, N.J. with a spot in the ECAC Championship game up for grabs.
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 202 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.
