The St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s basketball team fell to Bryn Athyn College on Monday, January 20, marking their second straight loss in United East Conference play. The Seahawks dropped the contest 74-65 as the Lions, the top team in the conference, completed the season sweep at Asplundh Field House.
The game was closely contested in the first half, with six ties and six lead changes. First-year forward Yassine Idrissa briefly gave the Seahawks a 27-26 lead with 2:06 remaining, but Bryn Athyn responded with a 9-0 run to end the half with a 35-27 advantage.
Sophomore guard James Lerner opened the second half with a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to five points. However, Bryn Athyn quickly extended their lead with a 10-3 run over the next five minutes, capitalizing on five missed shots and two turnovers by the Seahawks.
St. Mary’s made a strong push midway through the second half, narrowing a 12-point gap to just four with 8:02 left. Kyree Smith led the charge with seven points during a 12-4 run. Despite the effort, the Seahawks could not sustain their momentum as Bryn Athyn countered with an 11-2 run, stretching their lead to 13 points with under five minutes remaining.
Both teams pulled down 32 rebounds, while St. Mary’s outscored Bryn Athyn 40-34 in the paint. The Seahawks shot 44.1 percent from the field and converted 10 of 13 free throws.
Smith and junior captain Jake Koverman each tallied 17 points for the Seahawks. Koverman added eight rebounds and four assists, while Idrissa contributed 16 points and five rebounds. Lerner hauled in a season-high five rebounds and dished out five assists.
For Bryn Athyn, Will Little led all scorers with 18 points and a team-best seven rebounds, as the Lions secured their fifth straight victory.
The Seahawks, now 9-9 overall and 5-4 in the United East Conference, return to action on January 22 when they host Gallaudet University at 7 p.m. in Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center Arena. They will then travel to the University of Valley Forge for a January 25 matchup at 2 p.m.
