Owls Top Vikings In MASCAC Championship Game

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior forward Eric Johnson (Houston, Texas) delivered a double-double with an 18-point, 10-rebound performance to lead the top-seeded Westfield State Owls to the 2025 MASCAC Conference Championship title with a convincing 93-63 victory over the second-seeded Salem State Vikings on Saturday afternoon from the Woodward Center in Westfield, Mass.

Lid Moreland (Bridgeport, Conn.) matched Johnson with a game-high 18 points while adding seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks in a complete performance. Senior guard Kobe Parker (Chicopee, Mass.) provided crucial bench production with 13 points on an efficient 6-of-9 shooting performance, delivering timely baskets whenever Salem State threatened to build momentum.

Freshman guard A.Z. Allah (Springfield, Mass.) contributed 12 points along with five rebounds and six assists, showcasing his versatility by attacking the rim and creating for others.

For Salem State, Omri Merryman (Lynn, Mass.) led the Vikings with 11 points but struggled against Westfield State's focused defensive attention, shooting just 5-for-17 from the field. Despite facing constant pressure, the sophomore guard continued to attack throughout the game, trying to spark a comeback that never materialized. Grad forward Liam Byrne (Melrose, Mass.) battled valiantly in the paint against the Owls interior defense, recording nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds while providing numerous hustle plays for the Vikings.

Junior guard Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.) added nine points and three assists. Jarnel Snow-Guzman (Lynn, Mass.) contributed eight points.

How it Happened:

• Salem State opened the scoring with Merryman's jumper two minutes into the contest, and the Vikings built a small 5-3 lead after LJ Hicks (Gardner, Mass.) connected on a three-pointer with 17:34 remaining in the first half.
• Timmy Jacobus (Willemstad, Curacao) provided a scoring punch with consecutive three-pointers early through the first half, pushing the lead to double digits and energizing the home crowd. Salem State attempted to stem the tide as Snow-Guzman connected on a three-pointer to cut the deficit to 17-13 with 14:29 remaining, but the Vikings couldn't maintain the momentum. The Owls closed the first half with authority behind Moreland's (Bridgeport, Conn.) aggressive drive to the basket, drawing contact and completing the three-point play to cap a 16-4 run that built the halftime advantage to 22 points.
• Westfield State opened the second half with a decisive 8-0 run, pushing their lead to 67-37.
• The Owls increased their advantage to a game-high 41 points, 89-48 following a free throw by Moreland with 5:19 left. 

Inside the Numbers:

• Westfield State shot 50.7% (35-69) from the floor.
• Salem State was just 5-for-19 (26.3%) from three-point range.
• The OWls outscored the Vikings 44-30 in the paint. 

(Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information)