January 3, 2009
Salisbury Gets Past Shoremen, 87-85, in OT
Kohlrus Scores 34 Points in Loss

SALISBURY, MD – Devin Jones hit the game-winning jumper with 1.9 seconds left in the extra session to give host Salisbury an 87-85 overtime win over visiting Washington College in a non-conference men's basketball game tonight in Salisbury, MD. Greg Palmer scored 33 points in the win for the Sea Gulls, who improved to 4-7 with the win, while senior guard Tim Kohlrus (Fairfax, VA/W.T. Woodson) poured in 34 points in the loss for the Shoremen, who fell to 4-4.

The Sea Gulls scored the last six points of the first half to take a 45-37 lead into the intermission, the biggest advantage for either team in the period.

Washington outscored Salisbury, 24-13, over the first 10 minutes of the second half, regaining the lead on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Sal Schittino (Ellicott City, MD/Loyola Blakefield) and going up, 61-58, on a lay-up by senior guard Todd Green (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) with 10:09 left, but Palmer knotted the score at 61-61 with a three-pointer on the next possession.

Neither team would again lead by more than three points until two free throws by Kohlrus gave the Shoremen a 75-70 cushion. Palmer responded for Salisbury with seven straight points, capped off by a three-pointer with 1:44 left to give the Sea Gulls a 77-75 advantage. Green then sank two free throws on the other end to knot the score at 77-77 with 1:27 to go. The score was still tied at 77-77 when Kohlrus went to the line for a pair of free throws with 7.7 seconds left. Both tosses rimmed out and Salisbury rebounded the ball and called timeout with 6.3 seconds remaining. Palmer missed a three-pointer at the buzzer and the game headed into overtime.

The two squads exchanged the lead four times in the first two minutes of the extra session as the Shoremen clung to an 83-82 lead until Jones hit a jumper with 45 seconds left to give the Sea Gulls and 84-83 lead. After a missed three-pointer on the other end, Jones hit the second of two free throws to extend the lead to 85-83. Washington then called a timeout with 15.3 seconds left. Kohlrus converted a jumper in the lane to knot the score at 85-85 with 8.3 seconds left, but Jones countered with his game-winner with 1.9 left. Washington was unable to get a final shot off before time expired.

Palmer went 11-for-18 from the field and 6-of-9 from three-point range en route to his 33 points. Jones finished with 23 points, while Matt DeLizio added 11 points and 11 rebounds for Salisbury.

Kohlrus was 13-for-21 from the field and canned all three of his three-point attempts en route to his 34 points for Washington. He also pulled down seven boards. Green added 15 points, while junior guard Andrew Chambers (Williamsport, MD/St. Maria Goretti) added 10 and freshman guard Kevin Breslin (Hagerstown, MD/St. Maria Goretti) contributed 11 points off the bench.

Salisbury shot 49% from the field, 62% from three-point range, and 77% from the free-throw line in the game, while Washington shot 37%, 32%, and 67%, respectively. The Shoremen stayed in the game with a 22-14 advantage on the offensive glass and 15 fewer turnovers than the Sea Gulls (five to 20).

The Shoremen return to action Monday with a 5:00 p.m. game at Randolph College.

BOX SCORE