The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s basketball team notched their first United East Conference win of the season Friday night (Jan. 6) as senior guard Daryn Alexander (Twinbrook, Md./Richard Montgomery) hit the go-ahead basket with 27 seconds to go before junior forward Gary Grant (Washington, D.C./Thomas Stone [Md.]) sealed the win by making two free throws with three ticks left.
St. Mary’s College (6-5, 1-1 United East) picked up the 71-67 road win over SUNY Morrisville (4-6, 0-2 United East) as three starters scored in double digits.
How It Happened
- The Seahawks carried a 27-26 lead into halftime as the team erased a 16-10 deficit over the final 11 minutes of the first half.
- Sophomore guard Wayne Mason, Jr. (Oxon Hill, Md./Potomac) ignited St. Mary’s 17-10 run with a two-point basket off a Morrisville turnover while senior guard Jordan Goodwin (Baltimore, Md./Milford Mill) knocked down the triple for the Seahawks’ first lead of the game, 21-19, with 5:47 remaining in the half.
- First-year guard Micah Henry (Laurel, Md./Hammond) connected on St. Mary’s first six points of the second half before Alexander drained a three-pointer at 16:01 for the visitors’ biggest lead of the game, 38-32.
- The Mustangs reclaimed the advantage, 56-54, at 8:49 on a fast-break three-point shot by Shykell Brown and grew their lead to nine (65-56) three minutes later with back-to-back two-point baskets by Jordan Coard.
- St. Mary’s responded with an 11-2 run to knot the game at 67-67 with 1:05, setting the scene for Alexander and Grant’s key baskets.
Inside the Box Score
- The game featured seven tied scores and three lead changes.
- St. Mary’s edged the Mustangs, 39-37, in rebounding, including a 17-10 margin in offensive rebounds.
- The Seahawks tallied a season second-best 10 steals while Morrisville committed 19 turnovers, two shy of its season-high 21.
St. Mary’s Game Notes
- Henry led all players with 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including a pair of triples, while adding a career-best three steals and three assists.
- Alexander finished the game with 15 points as he went 6-for-7 at the free throw line while contributing six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
- Goodwin tallied a dozen points plus two assists.
- Grant grabbed a team-best nine boards and chipped in nine points and two steals.
- St. Mary’s shot 57.1-percent (12-21) from the field in the second half after only shooting 25-percent (10-40) in the first 20 minutes. For the game, the Seahawks shot 36.1-percent.
- The Seahawks also made 22 of 29 free throws, or 75.9-percent.
Morrisville Game Notes
- Brown paced the Mustangs in scoring with 17 points while Brandon Kulakowski hauled in a game-best 10 caroms.
- Morrisville finished the game shooting 45.6-percent (26-57) from the floor.
Up Next for the Seahawks
- Jan. 7 at Wells (6-5, 1-1 United East) – Aurora, N.Y. – 3:00 p.m.