SALEM, MASS. -- Salem State won for the 10th straight time, as the Vikings easily dispatched Worcester State 98-56 on Saturday afternoon in a MASCAC matchup at Twohig Gymnasium. The Vikings, who are enjoying their best run since a 16-game winning streak in 2011, improve to 17-3 and remain unbeaten in conference at 7-0. The Lancers slip to 2-18 and 1-6 in the league.
Sean Bryan (Lowell, Mass) paced four Salem State players in double figures, scoring a game-high 21 points going 6-9 (66.6%) from the field, including 3-3 from three-point range and 6-6 from the line. Shaquan Murray (Boston, Mass.) added 15 points for the Vikings, who shot 37-80 (46.3%) from the field and 12-28 (42.9%) from behind the arc.
Cal Howes (Maynard, Mass.) opened the game with a three-pointer for Worcester State, but the Vikings were relentless on offense, going on an 18-0 spurt to quickly build a 15-point lead as six different players scored for Salem State. The Lancers, who did not score for nearly six straight minutes, could not settle in on offense, turning the ball over nine times while shooting just 11-30 (36.7%) from the floor.
A trey by Chris Cardoso (Jamaica Plains, N.Y.) brought Worcester State to within 12, 21-9 with 12:34 left, but once again, Salem State answered with a 14-2 spurt, which included five points by Bryan and back-to-back three's by Jacob Lindland (Hamilton, Mass.) that pushed the lead to 35-11 midway through the period.
The Vikings, who parlayed the nine Worcester State turnovers into 13 points, maintained a comfortable lead for the remainder of the half as Salem State headed into halftime leading 54-32. Shaun McCarthy (Oxford, Mass.) was the only Lancers' player in double figures with 13 first half points.
A Bryan basket put the Vikings up by 31 at 71-40 less than six minutes into the second as Worcester State remained cold from the floor, going just 11-31 (35.5%) from the floor and 0-10 (0.0%) from behind the arc.
With the game in hand Salem State went to their bench. A steal and dunk by Nate Anderson (Boston, Mass.) pushed the lead to 40 before Anthony Hodges (Worcester, Mass.) cemented the win with a late three-pointer, as the Vikings won by 42 points, 98-56.
Tyreik McCauley (Worcester, Mass.) had 13 points and nine rebounds for Salem State while Lindland added 11 off the bench as the Vikings received 52 points from their reserves. Alex Santos (Lawrence, Mass.) had eight points and four assists and Rayshaw Matthews (Boston, Mass.) chipped in with six points and a game-high four steals. Drew Healy (Lowell, Mass.) had 10 rebounds for the Vikings.
The Lancers were led by McCarthy's 15 points, while Bryson Gulley (Mattapan, Mass.) added eight. Will Watkins Jr. (Southbridge, Mass.) had six points and a team-high seven rebounds for Worcester State.