Vikings Dominate in Season Opener

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State men's basketball opened their 2024-25 season this afternoon at Twohig Gymnasium, hosting the Colby-Sawyer College Chargers. The Vikings powered past the Chargers, with the help of 12 three-pointers, to secure an 89-64 victory; kicking off the season with a 1-0 record.

Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) had an impressive debut for the Vikings, scoring 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting, to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) also had a strong all-around game, contributing 26 points (6-of-8 from three), five steals, and four rebounds.

On the other end, Bryson Jenkins (Gary, Ind.) led his squad with 16 points while Elijah Thomas (Fairfax. Virginia) chipped in with 15 points and six rebounds off the bench in the Chargers' loss.

How it Happened:

• The Vikings jumped out to the 8-0 lead behind a pair of deep balls from Michael Makiej (Andover, Mass.) and Merryman before Jenkins stopped the bleeding at the 18-minute mark with the Chargers' first points.
• The Chargers took their first lead of the game with a 10-1 run, pulling ahead 14-12 with 13:51 remaining in the first half. The teams would exchange the lead several times until the eight-minute mark, when a 12-2 run, fueled by five points from Rho, gave the Vikings a 35-26 advantage, prompting a timeout from Colby-Sawyer with just over three minutes to play in the half.
•  The timeout seemed to work in favor of the Vikings, as they responded with another burst—this time a 10-1 run, once again led by Rho who scored six points during the stretch, to give the Vikings the 45-27 lead to head into the break.
• Three minutes into the second half, the Vikings extended their lead to 22 points, thanks to a trio of three-pointers that put them ahead 56-34. Not long after, the dynamic duo of Rho and Merryman sparked a 10-2 run, pushing the Vikings' advantage to a commanding 30 points, 70-40.
• The Chargers tried to chip away, but the Vikings had an answer for every challenge. At the 3:34 mark, Merryman knocked down his sixth three-pointer of the game, extending the Vikings' lead to a commanding 84-52—their largest of the contest. From there, Salem State cruised to a dominant 89-64 victory over the Chargers.

Inside the Numbers:

• Tyrese Rho's 29 points marks the highest scoring performance by a Viking in both their season opener and their Salem State debut in the past decade.
• Omri Merryman had a career-high in points (26) and three-pointers made (6) in this afternoon's victory.
• Seven Vikings made their debut in the orange and blue this afternoon.

Up Next

The Vikings welcome the Rams from Suffolk University to Twohig Gymnasium this Tuesday, November 12^th for a 5p.m. tip.