Polar Bears Defeat Vikings in Fall Semester Finale

BRUNSWICK, Maine. – Salem State men's basketball traveled north this afternoon to face Bowdoin College in their final game of the fall semester, where the Polar Bears defeated the Vikings 82-62.

LJ Hicks (Gardner, Mass.) and Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) each scored 13 points, while Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) and Sean Njenga (Lowell, Mass.) contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

For the Polar Bears, Kevin Reeves recorded a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, while Afmadi Achufusi also posted a double-double, tallying 13 points and 12 assists in the victory.

How it Happened:

• Despite 11 first-half points from Rho, the Polar Bears shot 54.1% from the field, allowing them to build a 20-point lead, 47-27, at the break.
• The Polar Bears led by as many as 28 points before an 8-0 run from the Vikings cut the deficit to 63-43 with 12:11 remaining.
• The Vikings managed to close the gap to 16 points, but the Polar Bears held on for the eventual 82-62 victory over the Vikings.

Inside the Numbers:

• Sean Njenga had a career-high 13 points off the bench for the Vikings.
• Today's matchup between the squads was just the third in their programs' history, with the last meeting occurring during the 2008-09 season.
• The Vikings are heading into winter break sitting at 3-9 on the season.

Up Next:

The Vikings are on break until after the New Year, when they will travel to UMass Boston on Saturday, January 4th, for a 12 p.m. start.