Strong Second Half Pushes Plymouth Past Salem

PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Salem State men's basketball concluded their three-game road trip this afternoon with a matchup against Plymouth State University. The home team held the Vikings to just 24 points in the second half, securing a 76-54 victory and dropping Salem State to 1-5 on the season.

The Vikings were paced by Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) who had a game-high 18 points while LJ Hicks (Gardner, Mass.) chipped in 11 points in the effort.

Four of the Panthers' five starters scored in double figures, with Ivan Yen (Concord, N.H.) leading the way with 15 points. Elijah Swanson (Meredith, N.H.) followed with 14 points and 10 rebounds, recording a double-double in the victory.

How it Happened:

• The Vikings jumped out to an 11-3 lead after five minutes, fueled by a trio of three-pointers. Shortly after, the Panthers held the Vikings scoreless before a deep ball from Hicks ended his squad's four-minute scoring drought, making it a 14-8 game with 11:45 remaining in the first half.
• The Panthers responded with a 12-0 run to take their first lead since the opening basket, forcing the Vikings to call a timeout as the Panthers went ahead 20-14 with 8:25 remaining.
• The Panthers built a lead as large as nine before the Vikings responded with a 10-0 run, half of which came from the free-throw line, to reclaim a slim 28-27 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the half. The Panthers answered with a three-pointer before Hicks hit two free throws to send the game into the break tied at 30.
• Four minutes into the second half, Plymouth gained a 40-32 lead, sparked by a trio of three-pointers in a 10-2 run. The Vikings trimmed the deficit to six, but the Panthers responded with a dominant 16-0 run, extending their lead to 58-36 with 10:32 remaining in the game.
• The Panthers controlled the remainder of the game, building a lead as large as 22 points on three separate occasions before securing the eventual 76-54 victory over the Vikings.

Inside the Numbers:

• Freshman, Sean Njenga (Lowell, Mass.) netted his first collegiate basket in this afternoon's effort.

Up Next:
The Vikings return home this Tuesday, November 26th, to host Gordon College for their annual pre-Thanksgiving game at 7 p.m.