Merryman Nets 34 Points in Setback

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Salem State men's basketball traveled to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for their first road game of the season, where the Vikings rallied from a 28-point deficit but ultimately fell short, 83-80, to the Engineers.

Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) exploded for 34 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 7-of-12 from beyond the arc, while Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) remained consistent for the Vikings, contributing 23 points in the effort.

For the Engineers, Merlin Gogolin (New York, N.Y.) recorded 28 points while Spencer Lin (Menlo Park, Calif.) followed with 18 points to go with five helpers in the victory.

How it Happened:

• The Engineers took control early, building a lead as large as 25 points before Rho's seven unanswered points sparked his team to a run and cut the deficit to 34-17 with just under seven minutes remaining in the half.
• In the final five minutes of the first half, the Vikings limited the Engineers to just eight points, while Merryman scored eight of his own to help trim MIT's lead and make it a 42-31 game at halftime.
• The Engineers remained in control to start the second, holding a comfortable 28-point lead, before the Vikings started to chip away, cutting the deficit to 72-58 with 6:22 left. The Vikings held the momentum and two minutes later, Merryman and Juan Beltres Diaz (Lowell, Mass.) teamed up for 10 unanswered points, bringing Salem within six at 74-68 with 3:28 to play.
• MIT regained their footing and reestablished a double-digit lead, but the Vikings continued to battle. However, their rally came up short, and despite a last-second three from Merryman, the Engineers held on for an 83-80 victory over the Vikings.

Inside the Numbers:

• Omri Merryman set a career high with 34 points and a career-best seven three-pointers in the effort.
• Juan Beltres Diaz scored eight points, marking a career high for the freshman.

Up Next:

The Vikings remain on the road this Thursday, November 21^st as they head to Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) for a 7p.m. game.