Salem State College Athletics

Brandon Shelton (Cambridge, MA) scored a game-high 28 points and added seven rebounds as the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs earned a hard fought 91-86 come from behind victory over the Salem State Vikings.

Shelton, who scored twenty second half points, kept UMass Dartmouth in the game in the first half.

Brian Clark's (Deerfield,MA) layup put Salem State (2-11) up 8-5 early in the opening period as the Vikings fought to gain control of the game. After Brian Marvie (Worcester, MA) hit a three-pointer, he forced a turnover and fed Brennan Bennett (Northbridge, MA), who scored a team-high 11 points in the half, on a transition basket to give Salem State a five point lead at 24-19 with 9:00 minutes remaining.

Shelton tied the game at 24 for UMass Dartmouth (9-5) with a three-point play, before Salem State forcing consecutive turnovers increased their lead to nine as Dan Clark (Deerfield, MA) hit a three-pointer and Justin Nieves (Lawrence, MA) put back his own miss to put the Vikings up 39-32.

Shelton scored his eighth point of the half as he kept UMass Dartmouth within striking distance with a layup just before halftime to make the score 41-34.

The Corsairs opened the half on an 11-4 run to tie the game at 45.

The two teams than exchanged the lead in the opening minutes, before UMass Dartmouth pulled away midway through the period. After five straight points by Brandon Stephens (Dorchester, MA) gave the Corsairs a 52-49 lead, Stephens and Shelton keyed a 10-0 UMass Dartmouth run with two three-pointers to give the Corsairs a 62-52 lead with 12:50 remaining.

The Vikings; however, would not quit and began to rally as Tavone Wynder (Boston, MA) scored six straight points, including four free throws to bring the Vikings to within three points at 67-64.

After Brian Clark, who finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds, closed the gap to 72-70 with a layup, Shelton answered with a two-point basket to push the lead back to four at 74-70.

Stephens two free throws and layup following a Salem State turnover gave UMass Dartmouth an 82-74 lead with 3:40 minutes remaining as the Corsairs forced three straight turnovers to outscore Salem State 10-2 down the stretch.

The Vikings made a valiant effort to climb back into the game with under a minute remaining. Dan Clark (Deerfield, MA), 15 points and eight rebounds, hit consecutive three-pointers to pull Salem State to within three at 87-84. However, four free throws by Paul Rose (Boston, MA) iced the game for UMass Dartmouth, which had lost four of six coming in to tonights game.

Bennett finished with 16 points as Salem State shot 50% from the field for the game.

The Vikings travel next to Westfield State to take on the Owls at 3:00 PM in a MASCAC conference game.