MASCAC Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket
Salem, MA --- Freshman Alex Lopez (Springfield, MA) scored six points in overtime, including three crucial free throws in the final minute to lead Worcester State to a thrilling 76-73 victory over Salem State Saturday night in the O'Keefe Center.
The loss did not impact the Vikings (15-10, 7-5 MASCAC) position in the MASCAC Tournament, as they finished third in the regular season standings. #3 Salem State and Worcester State (12-13, 5-7), the sixth seed, will meet again on Tuesday night in Salem in the opening round.
The Lancers snapped a 28-year drought as they picked up their first win against Salem State since the 1984-85 campaign.
In Saturday night's game, the Vikings held a three-point lead with 3:14 remaining in regulation after a pair of free throws from senior Tavone Wynder (Boston, MA).
However, the Lancers knotted the game at 64-64 on a free throw by Lopez and a jumper by third-year Robert Hunter (St. Louis, MO).
Neither team scored in the final two minutes, sending the action into overtime.
The Vikings took a three-point lead in the early moments of the extra session, as Wynder and junior Andrew White (Medford, MA) scored back-to-back hoops to give Salem State a 68-65 advantage.
Hunter and Lopez rallied WSU with a pair of hoops of their own, to give the Lancers a 69-68 edge, and a pair of free throws from junior Dane Jobst (Athol, MA) boosted the lead to three, 73-70.
Wynder then buried his third three-pointer of the game to knot the score at 73 with 1:31 on the clock.
Lopez hit one of two free throws with 35 seconds left to reclaim the lead for Worcester State, and the Vikings were unable to get off a shot on their ensuing possesion, as the hosts were called for a backcourt violation.
Lopez hit two more free throws to give the Lancers a three-point cushion with 9 seconds left, and second year Bryan Ortiz's (Salem, MA) trey was wide at the buzzer, sending the Vikings to their third conference home loss of the season.
Hunter finished with a game-high 20 points and added 10 rebounds while Lopez had 14 points and four assists. Jobst led all rebounders with 15 boards as he now ties Jim Chase (1993-94) for the fourth-highest boards in a single season.
Wynder led the Vikings with 17 points, and he was joined in double figures by White, who had 15 points and 13 rebounds.
The contest was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than four points over the final 15 minutes of regulation and overtime.
The Vikings broke a tie game late in the first half, as White converted a three-point play and Wynder hit a trey, giving them a 32-26 lead at the break.
After leading by seven early in the second half, Salem State fell victim to a 12-5 Lancer run that knotted the game at 39, and prefaced the close ending.
Salem State shot just 36 percent (26-for-72) from the field, including only 24 percent (8-for-33) from three-point range. The Lancers connected 37 percent (28-for-76) from the field and 29 percent (5-for-17) from three-point range.
Both teams split their two meetings meetings this season, with each winning on the opponent's home floor. SSU last beat the Lancers 78-74 in Worcester on January 22.
Full release Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information