Salem - Marcus McDermott's (Milton, MA) three-point play with 7.9 seconds remaining propelled Babson to an improbable 73-72 victory over Salem State Wednesday night at Twohig Gymnasium. McDermott, who was named Classic MVP, scored the Beavers' final 10 points and helped them overcome a seven-point deficit in the final two minutes. The win improved Babson to 5-5, while the snakebitten Vikings fell to 1-10. Salem State has lost four straight, all by five points or less.
The Vikings used a 12-0 run midway through the second half to take a commanding 52-40 lead with 9:37 remaining. The advantage was a comfortable seven, 69-62 with just over two minutes remaining, when McDermott took over. He scored on a drive and two free throws to cut the Salem State lead to 69-67. The teams traded the next six points, and SSC led 72-70 with 25 seconds left. McDermott drove the lane, hung in the air and scored to tie the game, as he was being fouled by Justin Nieves (Lawrence, MA). He hit the ensuing free throw to give the Beavers their only lead of the second half, and the Vikings could not get off a shot before time expired.
Salem State was victimized by poor free-throw shooting down the stretch. The Vikings were just 3-8 from the charity stripe in the final two minutes, and shot 10-8 from the line for the game.
McDermott finished with a game-high 16 points, including 8-11 from the free throw line. Teammate Marcus Edwards (East Hampton, NY), who was named to the all-tournament team, added 11, while Dana Mauro (Wethersfiled, CT) chipped in 10. The Vikings had four players in double figures, including all-tournament selection Tristan Shannon (Andover, MA) with 16 points, Dan Clark (Deerfield, MA) and Brennan Bennett (Northbridge, MA) with 13 apiece, and Brian Clark (Deerfield, MA) with 10.
The Vikings ran off a dozen points in a row during a four-minute stretch in the second half to snap a 40-40 tie. Shannon powered in three hoops inside the paint, and Dan Clark drilled a pair of threes. The 52-40 lead was Salem State's largest of the game. The Vikings had the lead from the 13-minute mark of the first half until McDermott's heroics in the final seconds.
The Vikings resume play in the new year when they open up MASCAC play with a home game against Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts on January 12 at 8 p.m.