WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior forward Eric Johnson (Houston, Texas) delivered a double-double with an 18-point, 10-rebound performance to lead the top-seeded Westfield State Owls to the 2025 MASCAC Conference Championship title with a convincing 93-63 victory over the second-seeded Salem State Vikings on Saturday afternoon from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass.

The championship victory secures Westfield State (21-6) the MASCAC's automatic qualifying bid into the NCAA Division III Tournament, which begins next week. Westfield also earned their third MASCAC title in the last five seasons and fourth championship under head coach Rich Sutter. It will be the Owls sixth NCAA tournament appearance.

The Owls enter the national tournament on a two-game winning streak and will await their seeding and opponent during Monday's selection show. Salem State (12-15), making their first championship game appearance since 2019, ends their season after a strong run into the title game.

The championship game, played before a capacity crowd at the Woodward Center, saw Westfield State overcome an early 5-3 deficit to build a commanding 59-37 halftime lead while shooting a blistering 69.7 percent from the floor (23-33 FG), including six of nine from beyond the arc. The Owls then cruised to a 30-point victory after outscoring the Vikings by eight in the second half. The Owls shot an impressive 50.7% from the field while holding Salem State to just 41.0% shooting, demonstrating their superiority on both ends of the court.

Salem State opened the scoring with Omri Merryman's (Lynn, Mass.) jumper two minutes into the contest, and the Vikings built a small 5-3 lead after LJ Hicks (Gardner, Mass.) connected on a three-pointer with 17:34 remaining in the first half. However, Westfield State quickly seized control when Xavier Lewis (Long Island, N.Y.) knocked down three first-half triples, including one at the 18:57 mark that gave the Owls their first lead at 3-2. From there, Westfield State's offense found its rhythm, moving the ball crisply and finding open shooters consistently.

Timmy Jacobus (Willemstad, Curacao) provided a scoring punch with consecutive three-pointers early through the first half, pushing the lead to double digits and energizing the home crowd. Salem State attempted to stem the tide as Jarnel Snow-Guzman (Lynn, Mass.) connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 17-13 with 14:29 remaining, but the Vikings couldn't maintain the momentum. The Owls closed the first half with authority behind Lid Moreland's (Bridgeport, Conn.) aggressive drive to the basket, drawing contact and completing the three-point play to cap a 16-4 run that built the halftime advantage to 22 points.

Any hopes of a Salem State comeback were quickly extinguished as Westfield State opened the second half with a decisive 8-0 run, pushing their lead to 67-37. Johnson dominated the paint during this stretch, grabbing offensive rebounds and converting second-chance opportunities while altering numerous Salem State shot attempts on the defensive end. The Vikings continued to battle despite the growing deficit but struggled to find consistent offense against Westfield State's swarming defense.

The Owls' balanced attack proved relentless throughout the second half. Kenneth Rogers, Jr. (Springfield, Mass.) had his fingerprints all over this game with a strong stat line of 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.

Moreland matched Johnson with a game-high 18 points while adding seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks in a complete performance. Senior guard Kobe Parker (Chicopee, Mass.) provided crucial bench production with 13 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting performance, delivering timely baskets whenever Salem State threatened to build momentum.

Freshman guard A.Z. Allah (Springfield, Mass.) contributed 12 points along with five rebounds and six assists, showcasing his versatility by attacking the rim and creating for others.

For Salem State, Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) led the Vikings with 11 points but struggled against Westfield State's focused defensive attention, shooting just 5-for-17 from the field. Despite facing constant pressure, the sophomore guard continued to attack throughout the game, trying to spark a comeback that never materialized. Grad forward Liam Byrne (Melrose, Mass.) battled valiantly in the paint against the Owls interior defense, recording nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds while providing numerous hustle plays for the Vikings.

Junior guard Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) added nine points and three assists. Jarnel Snow-Guzman (Lynn, Mass.) contributed eight points, including a key three-pointer in the first half.

The Owls dominated nearly every statistical category, including a 23-13 advantage in assists reflecting their superior ball movement and a strong 13-10 edge in offensive rebounds that led to numerous second-chance opportunities. Their relentless defensive pressure forced 20 Salem State turnovers, which they efficiently converted into 25 points on the other end.

The Owls will learn their NCAA Tournament opponent and location during the Division III selection show scheduled for Monday, March 3 at 12:00 p.m. ET. The tournament's first round begins Friday, March 7. Follow live updates and streaming coverage at WestfieldStateOwls.com.

Written by Tom Onorato – Sports Information Intern