Late Three Lifts WPI Over Salem

WORCESTER, Mass. – Salem State men's basketball traveled to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for a non-conference matchup, where a three-pointer in the final 18 seconds lifted WPI to a 63-60 victory, sending Salem State to a 1-4 record on the season.

Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) led the Vikings with 19 points, shooting a perfect 8-8 from the free throw line, while Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) added 17 points. Liam Byrne (Melrose, Mass.) posted game-highs with 13 rebounds and 6 assists in the effort.

Three players scored in double figures for WPI, with Tim Reidy (Needham, Mass.) and Aidan Callahan (Rowley, Mass.) leading the way, each recording 13 points, four assists, and four rebounds in the victory.

How it Happened:

• WPI quickly established a 10-2 lead, but LJ Hicks (Gardner, Mass.) and Merryman led their team on a 10-2 run to tie the game at 12 after seven minutes of play. Not long after, WPI regained the lead and took a double-digit advantage at 30-20 with 5:35 remaining in the first half.
• Rho made two free throws and then hit a jumper at the three-minute mark, ending the Vikings' four-minute scoring drought and trimming the deficit to 32-24 with 2:52 left in the half. Rho would go on to score five more points, accounting for all ten of the Vikings' points in the final three minutes, helping to narrow the gap to 42-29 at the break.
• The Vikings came out strong in the second half, scoring seven unanswered points to cut the deficit to 44-36 after three minutes. Following a scoreless stretch of two and a half minutes, the Vikings gained momentum and grabbed their first lead of the game when Juan Beltres Diaz (Lowell, Mass.) drained a deep shot to give them a 53-52 advantage.
• Three lead changes ensued before WPI gained a two-possession lead with just over three minutes remaining in the game. However, Wil Martinez (Revere, Mass.) quickly responded, scoring four unanswered points to cut the deficit to 60-59, forcing WPI to regroup with 2:29 left on the clock.
• With 52 seconds remaining, Rho made one of two free throws to tie the game at 60 and as seconds ticked off it seemed the game might head into overtime, but Nathan Bledsoe (San Antonio, Texas) delivered the heroics, sinking a three-pointer with 18 seconds on the clock to give WPI a 63-60 victory over the Vikings.

Inside the Numbers:

• Juan Beltres Diaz has been a spark off the bench for the Vikings in the past two games, leading the bench players in scoring during both contests.
• Omri Merryman is shooting 63.3% from beyond the arc this season, ranking him twelfth in NCAA Division III.

Up Next:

The Vikings will wrap up their road stint this Saturday, November 23rd, as they travel to Plymouth State University to face the Panthers at 1 p.m.