St. Mary’s College of Maryland men’s basketball team lost 90-66 to Cairn University in United East Conference play Wednesday afternoon, January 7, 2026, in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The Seahawks, now 5-7 overall and 1-1 in league action, dropped their first conference game of the season against the Highlanders, who improved to 11-4 and 3-0 in the UEC. Cairn pulled away with a strong finish to the first half and maintained control throughout the second period.
The opening half saw a competitive back-and-forth with seven lead changes and two ties. Neither team led by more than four points during the first 13 minutes. The Seahawks held their largest advantage four times, including a 19-15 lead at 12:56 after two free throws by senior captain JD Salo (Dunkirk, Md./Northern). St. Mary’s last led 22-21 at 9:53 on a jumper by junior guard Ben Kobil (Washington, D.C./Jackson-Reed). First-year forward Evan Quintero (Fallston, Md./Gilman) tied the score at 24-all, and Kobil brought the Seahawks within one at 7:04. Cairn then closed the half with a 22-8 run to take a 48-33 lead into the break.
The Highlanders extended their margin early in the second half with an 11-5 push to open a 20-point lead within the first four minutes. St. Mary’s trimmed the deficit into the teens several times, including an 11-5 spurt over four minutes that made it 77-58 with 5:19 remaining, but could not close the gap further. Cairn shot 42.9 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three-point range while converting 88 percent of free throws. The Seahawks shot 38 percent from the field, made 25 of 33 free throws and outscored Cairn 28-24 in the paint. Cairn gained 19 points off 17 St. Mary’s turnovers and held a 36-33 rebounding edge.
First-year guard Korey Blair (Baltimore, Md./Overlea) led the Seahawks with 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting, including 2 three-pointers, adding four free throws in 28 minutes. Salo contributed 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds with one block in 19 minutes. Sophomore guard Sekou Bangoura (Olney, Md./Magruder) came off the bench for a career-high eight rebounds, seven points and one steal in 14 minutes. Khairi Hyde scored nine points with five free throws, and Quintero added seven points in 20 minutes.
For Cairn, three players scored in double figures, led by Baldwin with 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Highlanders’ balanced attack and defensive pressure proved decisive, particularly in the late first-half surge that shifted momentum.
The loss marks the Seahawks’ first defeat in United East Conference play this season after an earlier league win. St. Mary’s has shown competitiveness in non-conference games but struggled to contain Cairn’s scoring output and transition opportunities. The team will look to rebound in its next conference matchup.
St. Mary’s returns to action Friday, January 10, 2026, hosting Penn State Abington (1-13, 1-3 UEC) at 1 p.m. in the Michael P. O’Brien Athletics & Recreation Center in St. Mary’s City. The game is designated as Youth Day, with special focus on engaging younger fans from the Southern Maryland community.
The Seahawks’ schedule includes a mix of United East opponents as they seek to build consistency in conference standings. The United East Conference features schools from Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, providing regional competition for St. Mary’s College, a Division III program in St. Mary’s County.
