WILLIMANTIC, Conn. — The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s basketball team concluded the first half of their season with a 72-45 loss to Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) in the championship game of the ECSU Holiday Invitational on Monday. Despite early efforts to stay competitive, the Seahawks could not overcome ECSU’s dominant shooting and strong presence in the paint.
The defeat drops St. Mary’s to a 7-6 record heading into the new year, while the Warriors improve to 8-2 following their second straight win.
Game Highlights
Eastern Connecticut State set the tone early, shooting efficiently from the floor and never trailing throughout the game. The Seahawks managed to keep the deficit within single digits for the first 10 minutes, with junior guard Jaden Walker draining a three-pointer to narrow the score to 17-10 at the 10:44 mark.
However, the Warriors quickly widened the gap, connecting on over 55 percent of their shots in the first half. By halftime, ECSU held a 37-24 lead, capitalizing on their accuracy and controlling the tempo.
The second half saw much of the same as ECSU maintained its hot shooting, hitting more than 55 percent from the field once again. In contrast, the Seahawks struggled offensively, shooting just 30.6 percent for the game — their lowest of the season.
Key Stats
St. Mary’s not only struggled with shooting but was also outmatched in the paint, where ECSU outscored the Seahawks 44-16. The Warriors also held a 35-28 rebounding advantage, further limiting St. Mary’s chances to close the gap.
First-year guard Tjay Beckles led the Seahawks with 11 points, while sophomore guard Kyree Smith contributed 10 points along with three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. Junior captain Jake Koverman posted a strong performance on the boards, grabbing a game-high eight rebounds to go with his eight points.
For ECSU, Dominick Dao was the standout player, recording a game-high 23 points along with three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Julian Sanchez also delivered an impressive performance with 21 points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Looking Ahead
Despite the setback, St. Mary’s has the opportunity to bounce back as they prepare for their first game of the new year. The Seahawks will travel to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, to face Wilson College (4-8, 2-1 UEC) on January 4 at 2 p.m.
As the Seahawks regroup, they’ll aim to refine their offense and address their struggles in the paint to build momentum for the second half of the season.
