Walker Eclipses 1,000 Career Points In 87-83 Loss To Salem State

VIDEO: KAMAHL WALKER SCORES HIS 1,000TH CAREER POINT

SALEM, Mass. – Endicott junior guard Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.) eclipsed the 1,000 career point mark on Tuesday night in the Gulls' 87-83 loss to Salem State University inside Twohig Gymnasium.

Walker, who entered the game with 977 career points in 60 games played, is now the 13th men's basketball student-athlete in program history to reach the milestone, and fourth to do so as a junior. Walker netted his 1,000th career point at the free throw line with 6:07 remaining in the second half after he was fouled while burying a jumper near the left wing to tie the score at 68-68.

After Walker's make at the line, the Gulls then increased their one point lead to seven (76-69) with 3:49 left to play, but Salem State answered with a 9-0 run over a 1:45 span to secure a 78-76 advantage at the 2:04 mark of the contest. Zach Hurynowicz (Burlington, Mass.) punctuated the run with a three-pointer in transition, while the Vikings made five free throws down the stretch to hold off a furious rally from the Gulls.

Endicott junior forward Daquan Sampson (Germantown, Md.) posted his fourth double-double this season with a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds, and Walker finished the contest with 27 points (10-for-21 FG, 3-for-7 3PT, 4-for-5 FT), nine rebounds, and three assists. Junior guard Max Motroni (West Warwick, R.I.) also contributed 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one steal.

Junior forward Marcus Faison (Cambridge, Mass.) paced the Vikings with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and three assists. Sophomore guard Shaquan Murray (Boston, Mass.) added 23 points, while Drew Healy (Lowell, Mass.) and Hurynowicz both chipped in with double-digit efforts to aid the hosts to the non-conference win.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Sampson tallied 18 points in the first half, the highest total he has registered in a half this season.
• Sampson scored eight straight points (two 3-pointers, one layup) to open up the contest for the Gulls before Walker buried a layup in traffic at 15:59 to give Endicott a 10-9 advantage.
• Faison followed Walker's bucket with a layup of his own at 15:39 that gave the Vikings the lead (11-10) for the remainder of the half before Motroni finally tied the game (40-40) with a basket to begin the second (19:36).
• Walker's career points total currently sits at 1,004. Walker scored 271 points as a freshman, 515 as a sophomore, and currently has 218 points in eight games played during his junior campaign.

FOR THE FOES

• Faison notched a double-double in the first half alone by collecting 19 points (8-for-15 FG, 1-for-3 3PT, 2-for-2 FT) and 12 rebounds (five offensive) in 19 minutes of action.
• Faison, who came away with his third straight double-double in tonight's victory, now has six double-doubles this season.
• The Vikings produced a 31-20 margin on the boards – including a 10-3 differential on the offensive glass – in the first half to come away with a 40-38 lead at the break.
• Salem State notched a season-high 52 rebounds in the win.

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (4-4) wraps up play in the Salem State Holiday Classic tomorrow against Elmira at 5 p.m. Salem State (6-5) will take on Wesleyan tomorrow night at 7 p.m. 

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