Salem State Slips Past Fitchburg State, 73-70

Hopkins post team-high 23 points; Clark collects 1,000th career point for Vikings

FITCHBURG, Mass. (February 12, 2011) – Junior Brian Clark (Deerfield, Mass./Frontier Regional) registered 12 points and five rebounds as the Salem State men's basketball team slipped past Fitchburg State, 73-70 in MASCAC action this afternoon.

With this 12 point effort, Clark eclipsed the 1,000 career point plateau as the veteran forward was only three points shy of the milestone entering the contest.  Viking sophomore Tavone Wynder (Boston, Mass./Newton South) sparked all scorers, totaling a game-high 26 points on 6-of-11 shooting from downtown , while sophomore Dan Clark (Deerfield, Mass./Frontier Regional) added eight points and five boards on the afternoon.

Senior Robert Hopkins (East Hartford, Conn./RHAM) led all Fitchburg State scorers, shooting 8-of-17 from the field for 23 points and seven boards, while senior Elliot Knower (Baldwinville, Mass./Narragansett) added 17 points with 9-of-14 shooting from the charity stripe. Junior Jeremy Kimber (Fitchburg, Mass./Fitchburg) finished with 19 points and seven caroms to round out the Falcon offense.

Salem State opened the contest strong, posting a 21-7 advantage midway through the first period, but Fitchburg State rallied back, holding Salem State to only one basket over the final five minutes of the frame. Kimber sparked the Falcons rally with an conventional three pointer with under a minute remaining, while Hopkins drained a trey to bring the Falcons within three (28-25). The Vikings got on the board late with a lay-up by Bennett, but Fitchburg State converted a free-throw down the stretch to trail only by four (30-26) at the end of the period. 

In the second period, Fitchburg State came out soaring, grabbing its first lead of the contest, 31-30 with a three by Hopkins, but Salem State answered the Falcon rally, posting a 13-6 run over the next five minutes for a six point advantage.

The Falcons clawed back into contest, cutting the Viking lead to only one on several occasions, but Salem State notched a 12-0 run capped by back-to-back threes from  Wynder to extend its lead to 11. In the final minutes of the match, Fitchburg State strung together a last minute rally with a pair of threes by Hopkins and a tip in by Kimber, but the Falcons effort ran dry as time expired on their final three-point attempt.

Fitchburg State (4-17, 1-9 MASCAC) will be in action again on Tuesday as it hosts MCLA at 7:30 p.m. Salem State (15-6, 9-1 MASCAC) will host Wheelock College tomorrow at 1 p.m.

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Salem State 73, Fitchburg State 70