ST. MARY’S CITY, Md., —The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s basketball team suffered a narrow 70-69 loss to Bryn Athyn College in a tightly contested United East Conference (UEC) game Thursday afternoon. The Seahawks (6-5, 3-1 UEC) mounted a late rally but couldn’t complete the comeback, marking their first conference loss of the season.
How It Happened
The game saw intense action from start to finish, featuring five lead changes and three tied scores. Neither team gained a double-digit advantage, with Bryn Athyn’s largest lead—eight points—occurring late in both halves.
In the first half, first-year guard Tjay Beckles gave St. Mary’s a four-point lead before Bryn Athyn responded with a 14-2 run, establishing a 31-23 advantage with 2:32 left. The Seahawks fought back, cutting the deficit to 32-28 at halftime with a late 5-1 push.
The Seahawks opened the second half strong, outscoring the Lions 16-8 and grabbing a 44-40 lead at 11:08 after a dunk by first-year forward Yassine Idrissa. Bryn Athyn retaliated with a decisive 21-9 run over the next eight minutes, reclaiming a 61-53 lead with under three minutes remaining.
With five seconds left, junior guard Jaden Walker drained a three-pointer, bringing the Seahawks within one at 70-69. On the ensuing inbound play, sophomore guard Kyree Smith forced a turnover and attempted a game-winning jumper, but the shot missed as time expired.
Inside the Box Score
- Three-Point Success: St. Mary’s hit a season-high nine three-pointers with a .450 shooting percentage from beyond the arc.
- Rebounding Battle: Bryn Athyn out-rebounded St. Mary’s 36-31.
- Free Throws: The Lions converted 18-of-22 free throws, while the Seahawks went 10-of-20 from the line.
Notable Performances
- St. Mary’s College:
- Yassine Idrissa led all scorers with 15 points.
- Tjay Beckles contributed 14 points.
- James Lerner added 13 points.
- Senior captain Jake Koverman and Kyree Smith each scored 11 points, with Koverman grabbing a game-high eight rebounds and blocking three shots.
- Bryn Athyn College:
- Will Little led the Lions with 14 points, while Isaac Marshall and Keith Bullock, Jr. added 13 points each.
Game Notes
- The Lions earned their first win over the Seahawks in two meetings and extended their winning streak to three games.
- All five Seahawks starters scored in double digits.
Up Next
The Seahawks will participate in the Eastern Connecticut State Holiday Invitational in Willimantic, Conn.:
- Dec. 29: St. Mary’s vs. Hunter College (2-7) at 5 p.m.
- Dec. 30: Consolation/Championship Game at 12 p.m. or 2 p.m.
