Box Score
Postgame Interviews (Zalescik & Spina)
 
KINGS POINT (Jan. 5, 2022) – The USMMA men's basketball team secured its second-straight victory and first Skyline win, improving its record to 4-5 overall (1-1 Skyline) after a 65-56 home win over conference rival SUNY Maritime on Wednesday night at the Liebertz Gymnasium.
 
Three players scored in double-figures for the Mariners, with junior Dante Spina (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore Josh Kauffman (East Providence, R.I.) both draining 12 points each, while senior Blaine McDonough (Marietta, Ga.) recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Kauffman also brought down seven boards, Spina dished out three assists and the Mariners also got a great effort off the bench by freshman Drew Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) with nine points and six boards.
 
Merchant Marine led most of the first half, twice by as many as seven points just over midway through. However, when the Mariners were up by six, 21-15 at 6:05, the Privateers (3-6, 0-3 Skyline) fought back to take their first lead of the night, 22-21 at 3:42, after seven-straight points. Play was back-and-forth from there, but the visitors made a late layup and took a 26-24 advantage into the halftime break.
 
The Mariners quickly tied things up to start the second half and grabbed the lead back for what wound up being the remainder of the game just over four minutes in. They started to distance themselves from Maritime, going up by six points twice including at 47-41 with 8:27 to play.
 
The Privateers came back to within just one point, 47-46, after five-straight including 2-of-3 free throws at 6:19, but the Mariners went on an 8-2 run to bring the lead back up to six, 54-48 at 4:52. The teams traded the next six baskets leading into the final minute, when Maritime put USMMA at the line three times and the Mariners hit 5-of-6 from the charity stripe, including the final two with 34 seconds left which gave them either team's largest lead of the night.
 
Merchant Marine shot 40.0% from the field (22-for-55), while the Privateers hit at a 42.1% clip (24-for-57). The Mariners won the battle of the boards, 41-31, and also had a commanding 42-26 advantage in points in the paint.
 
For SUNY Maritime, sophomore Theo Noble led all players in the game with 15 points, with senior Jaylin Gray adding 14 and classmate Mike Regan contribute 12. Senior Griffin McNally registered a team-best seven rebounds.
 
The Mariners will remain home and host Skyline North Division opponent Sarah Lawrence this Saturday, Jan. 8, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Liebertz Gymnasium. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
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