Vikings Roll to 77-48 Victory Over Elms

SALEM, Mass. – Sean Bryan (Lowell, Mass.) scored 12 points and added five rebounds and four assists as Salem State easily defeated Elms, 77-48 on Saturday afternoon at Twohig Gymnasium. The Vikings go to 2-0 while Elms slides to 0-2. 

Deven Okowuga (Lowell, Mass.) added nine points with 12 rebounds and three steals off the bench for Salem State while Jarret Byrne and Conner Byrne combined for 16 points and nine rebounds in the win. Tahquell Cadle (Bridgeport, Conn.) led Elms with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Vashon Wilson (New Haven, Conn.) contributed eight points and eight rebounds in 14 minutes of action for the Blazers.

Chandler Williams gave Elms an early 9-8 lead following a dunk. Williams added another score before Salem State's Bryan tied the game with his first and only three of the game. The Vikings held Elms to just 1-of-6 (16.7%) from behind the arc as a Conner Byrne basket put the Vikings on top 21-15 with 7:29 remaining in the first half. Two free throws by Bryan increased the lead to 25-15 and after a three by Okowuga and two more free throws by Bryan, Salem State suddenly held a 31-17 advantage as the Vikings closed the first half on a 10-4 run, taking a 35-19 lead into the half.

Bryan and Okowuga led all scorers with eight points each as the Vikings shot 11-32 (34.4%) from the floor in the first half. 

Elms began the second half going 0-for-7 from three-point range as Salem State opened up a 23-point advantage, 55-32 with 10:47 remaining. The Vikings turned 17 turnovers into 20 points, led by three steals from Bryan. Andrew Fraioli (Milford, Mass.) sparked Salem State's offense with a pair of baskets and four free throws in the second half, finishing with 11 points off the bench. Juvens Louis (Everett, Mass.) made it a 30-point lead, 70-40 with a three-pointer in the final 4:07 as Salem State cruised to a 77-48 victory.