SALEM, Mass. – The Endicott men's basketball opened the new year against non-conference and North Shore rival Salem State on Wednesday evening and suffered a 102-79 defeat at the hands of a hot-shooting Vikings squad at Twohig Gymnasium.
The Gulls dropped to 6-3 overall on the season. The team returns to their CCC schedule at home on Saturday, January 5th against Western New England with a 3:00 pm tip-off. In 2011-12, Endicott and Western New England split their two regular season meetings.
Salem State (8-4) shot 55.8% from the field in the first half, including 9-of-18 from three-point range, en route to a commanding 58-35 lead at the break. Vikings guard Tavone Wynder (Boston, Mass.) scored 18 of his game-high 26 points in the first half by making six of his seven three-point attempts. Wynder led a Salem State three-point attack that finished with 14 makes from beyond the arc.
Endicott was led by four players in double figures including junior Bennett Knowlton (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and sophomore John Henault (Lunenburg, Mass.) who tied for a team-high with 15 points. Both players finished 7-of-15 from the floor. Knowlton, along with teammates Lance Greene (Dorchester, Mass.) and Andre Makris (Southbury, Conn.), all dished out a game-high four assists.
Greene and Makris also finished with double digit points with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Greene created three steals while Makris grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds to complete the double-double.
Salem State forward Nate Simpson (Lowell, Mass.) also recorded a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Guard Justin Nieves (Lawrence, Mass.) also filled the stat sheet with 10 points, four assists, four steals, and three rebounds.
Off the bench, Endicott's freshman guard Dan Powers (Westwood, Mass.) scored six points on 3-of-7 shooting with four rebounds, two steals, and a block before fouling out of the game. Fellow first year guard Eddie Danek (Suffield, Conn.) also scored six points in second half action. Salem State, however, saw significant contribution from their bench players as they outscored Endicott 32-19 for the game.
