Men’s Basketball Suffers 83-74 Setback to Salve Regina Tuesday

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College men's basketball team endured an 83-74 loss to Salve Regina Tuesday evening at the Lahue Physical Education Center.

The Lions move to 9-2 on the year and 3-1 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Seahawks improve to 5-6 overall and 2-2 in league action.

Jaylen Owens (Johns Creek, Ga.) scored a team-best 19 points and dished out five assists. Eric Lynch (Alpharetta, Ga.) contributed with 15 points while Lequan Gomes (Fairfield, Calif.) finished with 12 points and seven boards.

The guests established a 10-3 advantage 2:38 into the game after a pair of free throws by Bryce Boggs.

The home team seized its first lead of the contest with 8:33 left in the period on a trey by Owens, 19-18.

After Boggs knocked down a jumper to give Salve Regina a one-point edge, Jeremy Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) nailed a three-pointer to push Eastern Nazarene ahead 24-22 with 4:28 remaining.

The Seahawks responded with six straight points to grab a five-point lead, 29-24, with 3:17 to go and increased their gap to six with 30 second left to play as Isaiah Bowman drained a triple.

The Lions trailed by three points at the halftime intermission, 32-29, after Justin Wagner (Oklahoma City, Okla.) canned a three-pointer at the horn.

Eastern Nazarene shot 40% from the floor in the first half and 33.3% from the perimeter. Salve Regina posted a field-goal percentage of 36.8% through 20 minutes of action while connecting on 2-of-11 from three-point land.

Owens led the Lions with eight first-half points while Eric Lynch and Jeremy Wagner each chipped in with six points.

The hosts leveled the game 2:15 into the second half as David Eddings (Endicott, N.Y.) tossed in a layup after intercepting a cross-court pass, 38-38.

Eastern Nazarene claimed a five-point lead with 13:54 remaining in regulation on a pull-up trey by Christian Lynch (Alpharetta, Ga.), 49-44.

Salve Regina netted six consecutive points to capture a one-point edge, 50-49, with 12:40 to go.

The visitors stretched the gap to 10 with 4:49 left to play as Nicholas Bates banked in a layup, 72-62.

The Lions narrowed the margin to six on a pair of makes from the charity stripe by Gomes with 1:33 on the clock, 80-74.

The Seahawks sealed the victory with three points by David Hanson in the final minute.

Eastern Nazarene finished with a field-goal percentage of 44.1% to go with a 9-for-32 success rate from behind the arc. Salve Regina shot 50% from the floor on the night and 31.6% from long distance.

Bates led all players with 25 points and added 13 rebounds on the night while Hanson poured in 22 points. Boggs registered 16 points, nine boards and eight assists for the Seahawks.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene look to snap its two-game skid as it visits Wentworth for a critical conference clash January 7.