Vikings Triumph Over Scots', 85-79 (OT)

THE BASICS

Salem State, 85 vs. Gordon College, 79 (OT)

Records:

Salem State University Vikings (4-2)

Gordon College Fightin' Scots (1-5)

Location: Wenham, Mass. - Bennett Center

Date: November 25, 2025

THE LEAD

Wenham, Mass. - The Salem State men's basketball team secured a hard fought 85-79 overtime victory over the Gordon College Fightin' Scots on the road on Tuesday night. After a highly competitive regulation period that saw the score tied 9 times and the lead change 9 times, the Vikings dominated the extra frame, outscoring the Scots 14-8 in overtime to seal the win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Vikings took a narrow lead into the halftime break, 34-33, after a tightly contested first period. Early in the first half, Salem State established control, with a layup from Jamel Walker (Fy.) giving them a 5-3 advantage. Raheim Orleans (Fy.) converted a layup after an offensive rebound, contributing to an early 9-7 lead. Salem State achieved its largest lead of the first half at eight points (29-21) after a Walker free throw, followed shortly by a Michael Makiej (Sr.) three-pointer (32-24).

In the second half, Salem State again extended their lead, reaching an eight-point margin (43-35) following a layup by Orleans at 18:18. The game remained intense, and the Vikings relied on key defensive plays, including steals by Wil Martinez (Sr.) and Omri Merryman (Jr.), which led to a Merryman fastbreak layup (41-35). Makiej contributed significantly in the second half, notably making a layup off a steal for a 54-47 lead and hitting a critical 3-pointer late in regulation (70-69) to give the Vikings a one-point lead with 1:02 remaining. However, Gordon tied the score at 71-71 just before the buzzer, sending the contest into overtime.

Salem State controlled the overtime period, outscoring Gordon 14-8. Merryman scored an offensive rebound layup early in the extra session to take the lead, 73-71. Orleans was instrumental, scoring back-to-back layups to put Salem State up 77-76 and then 79-76. Makiej hit a crucial jumper (81-79), and the victory was finalized at the free-throw line by Orleans and Walker.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Salem State relied on balanced scoring and strong rebounding to secure the overtime victory. The Vikings' bench provided a significant spark, accounting for 24 points. Salem State scored 17 points off turnovers, significantly higher than Gordon's 4. The Vikings also collected 50 total rebounds.

Michael Makiej led the Vikings in scoring with a team-high 22 points off the bench. He was highly efficient, shooting 6-12 from the field, including 3-6 from three-point range, and converting 7-8 free throws. He also tallied 9 rebounds (8 defensive) and 2 steals.

Jamel Walker and Omri Merryman each contributed 16 points. Walker added 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 block. Merryman shot 7-14 from the field and also recorded 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

Raheim Orleans was dominant on the glass, achieving a game-high 15 rebounds (6 offensive, 9 defensive), complementing his 14 points.

The Vikings shot 78.9% from the free-throw line (15-19) for the game.

The collective effort saw five Salem State players score in double figures. Ali Barry (So.) contributed 7 points, 6 rebounds, and shared the team lead in blocks (2) and steals (2).

UP NEXT

The Vikings make their return to Twohig this Monday, December 1, to host the Lasell University Lasers for a 6 p.m. tipoff.

By Jack Zenger

Photo Credit: Lilly Nunez '25