BOX
SCORE
SALEM, Mass. - First-year Marcus McDermott's (Milton,
MA) three-point play with 7.9 seconds remaining propelled
Babson to an incredible 73-72 comeback victory over Salem State
Wednesday night as part of the Vikings' own Holiday Classic.
McDermott, who was named Classic MVP, scored the Beavers' final 11
points and helped them overcome a seven-point deficit in the final
two minutes. The win improved Babson to 5-5, while the snake-bitten
Vikings have now lost four straight, all by five points or less, to
fall to 1-10.
Babson trailed Salem for the entire contest until McDermott's
heroics in the final two minutes. Salem led 33-27 at the half as
the Beavers struggled from the field shooting 34% in the first
stanza. Babson would then tie the contest at 40-40 with just under
15 minutes left in the second, but the Vikings scored 12 straight
points to take their largest lead of the game at 52-40 with 11
minutes remaining.
Salem maintained a comfortable lead until the 4:45 mark, when
they still held a 65-55 advantage. However, Babson junior
Shelton Ladson (New York, NY) closed the gap to
five with a lay-up and a three-pointer just 22 seconds apart.
The Vikings would push their lead back to seven twice over the
next two minutes, including a 69-62 cushion with 2:31 remaining.
McDermott then took over the game for Babson, scoring five
unanswered points, including three from the free throw line, to cut
the Beavers' deficit to two at 69-67 with 1:25 on the clock.
Salem's Brian Clark and McDermott then traded free throws before
the Vikings' Justin Nieves hit one of two to give the hosts a 71-68
advantage with 36 seconds left.
McDermott scored his eighth straight point on a lay-up that cut
the Beavers' deficit down to one with 30 seconds remaining, but
Nieves tacked on another free throw to make it 72-70 with 19
seconds left. McDermott then capped off his heroic performance by
converting a lay-up and drawing a foul with 7.9 seconds showing,
and the ensuing free throw gave Babson its first lead of the game
and the thrilling 73-72 victory.
For the second straight game, the Beavers' depth kept them in
the contest as no less than nine players logged double digit
minutes and seven players scored seven points or more. McDermott's
16 points led the way - 15 of which came in the second half - while
sophomore Marcus Edwards (East Hampton, NY) and
junior Dana Mauro (Wethersfield, CT) chipped in
with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Beavers begin NEWMAC play this coming Wednesday at home against
Springfield College after playing nine of their first ten games on
the road while Salem begins MASCAC play on January 12th with
a home game versus MCLA.
NOTE: Portions of this story taken from a Salem State press
release.
