BOSTON, Mass. – The UMass Boston men's basketball team (2-1) closed out their three-game homestand against Salem State (1-1) and battled for 40 minutes before falling 82-76 to the Vikings on Saturday afternoon from the Clark Athletic Center.
How it Happened
- The Vikings jumped out to an early 9-2 lead despite junior Mikell Orelus making a layup before fellow junior Davon Sanders scored the next five points of the contest to make it a 9-7 game.
- After trailing by six, first-year Allen Brown Jr., first-year Jaiden Perry, and Orelus combined to go on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 15-15 with 12:19 remaining in the first half.
- Senior Max Depina scored UMass Boston's next four points of the contest and a layup from junior Romario Lauriston pulled the Beacons back within four before the Vikings netted the next four points of the afternoon.
- Salem State led by as many as 12 before UMass Boston scored five unanswered as first-year Trokon Harris, Orelus, and Sanders all connected on free throws as the Beacons trailed 34-27.
- Junior Lansana Kaba and Sanders combined for the squad's final seven points of the first half as the Beacons entered the locker room down 42-34.
- Senior Steven Cordero netted four of the Beacons first eight points of the second half, while Sanders and Depina added the other UMass Boston points as they pulled within four at 46-42.
- After trailing by six, Depina, Sanders, and Cordero went on a 6-0 run to tie the game before the Vikings netted the next four points of the contest.
- The Beacons responded with an 8-3 run sparked by four points from Sanders as well as two points from Brown Jr. and Depina as they led 56-55 with 9:31 remaining.
- Salem State answered with an 11-5 run that was capped off by an Omri Merryman before sophomore Ivan Yhomby made a layup off a feed from Harris as Salem State held a 66-62 advantage with 4:36 to go.
- Yhomby then connected on a triple and after Camdyn Shoesmith made a layup, Cordero hit a pair of free throws to make it a two-point game at 69-67.
- With 1:17 remaining, Harris made a fastbreak layup to keep the deficit at two before Jacob Klass made a pair of free throws for the Vikings.
- Sanders netted the next five Beacon points as they trailed 76-75 with 0:16 remaining and Klass hit two more free throws to go up three.
- Depina went 1-2 from the line on UMass' next possession to bring them back within two and after two straight missed free throws from Omri Merryman he was able to get the ball back off a steal and make a layup to go back up four.
Inside the Box Score
- UMass Boston made 24 shots, grabbed 45 rebounds, dished out 16 assists, and forced 10 turnovers.
- Sanders registered his second double-double of the season with a game-high 28 points and 11 rebounds, while going 15-19 from the free throw line.
- Depina recorded his second double-double of the year with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
What's Next
UMass Boston will play their first road game of the season when they travel to Fitchburg State on Tuesday night for a contest beginning at 6:00 p.m.
