Poarch Nets 22 Points, Cunningham Records First Career Double-Double in Loss

CHESTERTOWN, Md. -- Visiting Salisbury University used an 11-0 second-half run to take control of the game en route to an 86-73 non-conference men's basketball win over host Washington College in the season opener for both teams tonight inside Cain Athletic Center.

The Shoremen led for nearly all of the first half, twice leading by as many as 11 points during the period. Washington held a 33-24 advantage with six minutes to play before the Sea Gulls finished the period with a 15-4 run, capped off by a long-three pointer by Tim Harwood with two seconds on the clock that gave Salisbury its first lead of the contest at 39-37.

Washington scored the first six points of the second half in less than a minute of play as an inbounds steal and lay-up by junior guard Stephen Poarch (Middletown, Del./Sanford School) with 19:06 on the clock made the score 43-39 in favor of the Shoremen. Another Poarch steal led to senior guard Kevin Cunningham (Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape) making one of two free throws with 18:33 to go to extend the run to 7-0 and the lead to 44-39. The Sea Gulls later used a 7-0 run of their own to regain the lead at 50-48 on a pair of free throws by Kyle Savercool with 15:05 on the clock.

Cunningham evened the score with a pair of free throws with 14:08 to play, knotting the score at 50-50. Salisbury scored the next four points to take a 54-50 lead on a lay-up by Chris Viqueria with 12:53 remaining. Washington evened the score at 56-56 on a lay-up by junior guard John Weston (Tampa, Fla./Bolles School) before the Sea Gulls went their decisive 11-0 run, capped off by two free throws by Harwood with 8:21 remaining to give Salisbury a 67-56 lead. The Sea Gulls maintained a lead of at least eight points the rest of the way; the final margin was their biggest lead of the contest.

Salisbury made its first 21 free throws of the game and finished 29-for-31 from the line as a team in the victory. Harwood led the Sea Gulls with 18 points and knocked down three of his four three-point field-goal attempts. Gordon Jeter added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Luke Ruland and Savercool scored 13 and 10 off the Salisbury bench, respectively. The Sea Gulls shot 50% from the field in the game, including a 5-for-10 mark from three-point range.

Poarch led all players with 22 points and dished out four assists, while Cunningham tallied his first career double-double, scoring 19 points and bringing down a career-best 10 rebounds. Weston scored 15 points off the Washington bench, knocking down six of his seven field goal attempts in the contest. Washington shot 41% from the field and 73% from the foul line, but the Shoremen were just 4-for-21 (19%) from three-point range. 

The Shoremen return to action Sunday with a 2:00 p.m. non-conference game at 14th-ranked Hampden-Sydney.