Rios, Brooks Pace Men's Basketball In 62-54 MASCAC Setback To Salem State

Worcester, MA --- Salem State senior Nicholas Grassa (Lynn, MA) underscored an even scoring attack with 12 points and a trio of assists as he helped pace the Vikings to a 62-54 triumph over Worcester State in MASCAC men's basketball action this evening at the Laska Gymnasium.

With the win Salem State improves to 9-6 overall and evens out their conference slate to 1-1. The Lancers fall to 3-12 in the setback and fall to 0-2 in league action.

For Salem State (9-6, 1-1 MASCAC), ten student-athletes dotted the box score for the visitors as junior Anthony Hodges (Worcester, MA/Holy Name) and freshman Shaquan Murray (Boston, MA/New Mission) chipped in with nine points and Hodges dished out five helpers.

Freshman Gerald Adams (Boston, MA/Catholic Memorial) and sophomore Marcus Faison (Cambridge, MA) also added eight points each and combined for 13 rebounds.

The Lancers (3-12, 0-2 MASCAC) were highlighted by senior Brendan Rios (Easthampton, MA) who finished with a game-high 18 points to go along with six boards, three assists and a trio of swipes.  

Sophomore Paul Brooks (Arlington, MA) pulled down his seventh double-double of the campaign with 14 points and 11 caroms while classmate Marquez McKreith-Collins (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) poured in 10 points off the bench.

Senior Charles Gunter (Boston, MA/New Mission) also gobbled up nine rebounds for the Blue and Gold in the losing effort.

After the hosts made the score 35-27 with 16:52 remaining in regulation, Salem State utilized the three-point arc to get back into the contest as Grassa sank two triples and Hodges added another trey to trail 39-36 just 3½ minutes later.  

Following a three-pointer by Murray that knotted up the score at 41-41 around the midway point of the second period, the crowd was treated to a back and forth affair which saw the game knotted up once and the lead change hands five times.

As the Vikings were down 49-48 at the 5:52 mark, freshman Drew Healey (Lowell, MA) unleashed a thunderous slam dunk off a nifty inbounds play on the base-line to help spark a 13-6 run to close out the contest.

Five different players contributed in the spurt as senior Jon Perez (Weymouth, MA) connected on a trifecta to open up the game at 58-50 and 45 ticks left.

WSU was sluggish offensively in the last five minutes of the contest as they only converted three of their nine attempts from the field. With 2:43 on the clock, Brooks missed both free throws at the line which would have kept it a one possession game before the visitors started to pull away.

Brooks and Rios combined for 12 points to help the Lancers start off the game with the 14-6 advantage near the 12:00 mark. The Vikings, however, responded by holding the hosts scoreless in an 8-0 surge of their own as the visitors equaled the score at 14-14 with 9:29 remaining in the opening frame.

Sophomore Ryan DiBernardo (Springfield, MA/Cathedral) notched a pair of free throws and McKreith-Collins converted a field goal to help give the Blue and Gold a four-point bulge 90 seconds later (18-14) before the Lancers went on a 9-4 spurt to close out the period with the 27-21 margin at the half.

Salem State knocked down half of their shots for the game (25-for-50 – 50 percent) and shrugged off an 0-for-4 start at the three point line to finish sinking five of their seven bids in the second stanza.

The Vikings also led in points off of turnovers (16-12) and rebounds (38-34).

WSU had a modest 36 percent line from the floor (23-for-64), but struggled with the long ball as the hosts nailed just four of their 19 attempts overall.

The Lancers used a 10-5 margin on the offensive backboards to control the paint (34-30) while doubling up Salem State in second-chance baskets (16-8).

Both squads continue MASCAC play on the road this Saturday. Worcester State takes on league rival Bridgewater State at 1 PM while the Vikings make the trek to Westfield State for a 3 o'clock meeting.