Salem State Explodes Past Fitchburg State, 81-64

Valliere paces Falcons with 18 points against Vikings

SALEM, Mass. (January 19, 2012) – Junior Zach Valliere (Douglas, Mass./Douglas) recorded 18 points and seven rebounds to lead the Fitchburg State men's basketball team in an 81-64 MASCAC setback to Salem State University this evening.

The Vikings were led by Brian Clark's (Deerfield, Mass.) game-high 22 points and Tavone Wynder (Boston, MA), who scored 12 of his 18 points after intermission. Salem State trailed by nine in the early going, as Fitchburg State went on a 14-2 run to take a 17-8 lead with 13 minutes remaining, but the Vikings fought back, and Clark's jumper gave with just over four minutes left gave Salem a 27-26 lead.

Despite trailing by seven at the break, Fitchburg State methodically worked its way back into the game, chipping away at the deficit. Mike Ingram-Rubin (Boston, Mass./Bedford) hit a three to cut the lead to four, and Zach Valliere's (Douglas, Mass./Douglas) jumper tied the game at 47 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

Salem State quickly went up by five on back-to-back hoops by Apollos Wade (Taunton, Mass.) and Wynder (another three), but the Vikings led just 54-52 with ten minutes left after Tom Henneberry (Lexington, Mass./Lexington) hit a three from the corner for the Falcons.

The Vikings then turned to Wynderm, who scored nine of the Vikings next 11 points - including a long three that gave Salem State a 65-54 lead. The Falcons missed five straight shots, and dug themselves a hole from which they would not recover. Clark scored three straight buckets to keep the lead in double figures, and his jumper with 2:25 remaining was the final dagger, as it gave SSU a 77-62 advantage.

Fitchburg State was led by Valliere, who had 18 points and seven rebounds in just 20 minutes, while Ingram-Rubin added 13. Junior Mark Vickers (Boston, Mass./Bedford) chipped in with ten to round out the top scoring Falcons.

Fitchburg State (9-6, 1-3 MASCAC) will be in action again on Saturday as it travels to MCLA at 3 p.m. Salem State (10-6, 3-1 MASCAC) will visit Bridgewater State on Saturday at 3 p.m.