Wesley rallies past Salisbury in second half
SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury University men's basketball team ran into a hot shooting Wesley College squad in the second half of Saturday afternoon's Capital Athletic Conference contest between the Rt. 13 rivals. The Wolverines rallied to defeat the Sea Gulls 82-57 on "Take a Kid to the Game" day at the Maggs Center, which drew a season-high attendance of 454.
Salisbury (9-12, 6-6 CAC) was led by senior guard Sean Whittaker who notched a team-high 12 points and eight rebounds. Junior guards Devin Jones (eight rebounds) and Ronald Mann (two steals) each tallied nine points while sophomore center Ryan Hourihan (three steals) poured in eight points. Junior guard Greg Palmer came off the bench to score seven points, which snapped his 15-game double-digit point streak. This was also the first time in 22 games, dating back to last season, which Palmer did not start.
It was a tale of two halves as the Sea Gulls came out of the gates strong against the Wolverines, who were ice cold from the field. Wesley heated up in the second half and drained 14 three-pointers en route to the 25-point win.
Hourihan made a lay-up in the first half to cap an 11-0 run to start the game for SU. It was not the same case with Wesley, who began the game 0-for-10 from the field and did not tally its first point until almost eight minutes in. SU posted its largest lead of the half 15 points, 24-9, on another jumper by Hourihan with just under six minutes left before halftime. The cold offensive effort by Wesley continued throughout the majority of the half as they would go another seven minutes before registering their second field goal on a jumper by James Stratton at the 4:36 mark. The Sea Gulls held a double-digit lead for the last 10 minutes of the half before two late field goals by Wesley shrunk the Salisbury lead to 26-19 at halftime. The maroon and gold shot 11-for-24 (46 percent) from the field in the first half and were paced Hourihan's eight points. Salisbury collected 22 rebounds in the first half.
Wesley (15-6, 11-1 CAC) came out of the intermission and knocked down two quick three-pointers to begin the half. The buckets cut the Sea Gull lead to just one point. After a two-minute lull where neither team scored, Wesley used a lay-up by Alphonzo Wright and four free-throws to build a five-point lead. Wesley capped a 15-0 run when Rudy Thomas buried a three-pointer to extend the Wolverine lead to eight, 36-28, with 15:18 left in the game.
SU began the half 0-for-6 from the field and did not make a field goal until Palmer buried his only three-pointer of the game five minutes into the half. A lay-up by Whittaker a minute later dropped the Wolverine lead to six points, 39-33, but it was as close as SU would get the rest of the way. Wesley rebounded from a 0-for-11 performance from long range in the first half as the Wolverines buried 14 three-pointers in the second half. Salisbury was led by Whittaker's nine second half points.
The Wolverines posted its second win over SU this season as they were paced by Rashawn Johnson, the CAC leading scorer. Johnson scored a game-high 22 points, 13 came in the second half, as he added five rebounds and two assists in the win. Wesley had three others players reach double-digit point totals in Stratton (13 points), Evan Martin (13 points) and Thomas (12 points).
Salisbury will hit the road for its next two CAC contests. The road trip begins on Wednesday, February 11, in Washington, D.C., as the Sea Gulls face Gallaudet University at 8 p.m. The Sea Gulls will look to sweep the regular-season series against the Bison as Salisbury defeated Gallaudet, 96-65, on January 17 in the Maggs Center.
Note: As part of the "Take a Kid to the Game" promotion the SU athletic department is encouraging any elementary or middle school child from Somerset, Wicomico or Worcester counties that attended today's doubleheader to write an essay about how special the day was for you spending time with your parents and/or family. This essay can be hand written or typed. Please mail all entries to the address below by February 27. There will be one boy and one girl chosen as winners. The winning essay will receive a free basketball clinic for his or her school. Good Luck!
Mail your essays to:
Matt McGinnis
Associate Director of Athletics
Salisbury University
1101 Camden Ave.
Salisbury, MD 21801
