FREDERICK, Md. – Freshman Ibrahim Kamara kicked off his collegiate career with a tied game-high 18 points on Tuesday night on the road, but the Marymount (Va.) University men's basketball team came up short to Hood College, 64-56. 

The Blazers jumped out to a 6-0 advantage in the opening three minutes before the Saints cut off the run with a steal by sophomore Brandon Rogers that transitioned into a long ball by Kamara off a dish by junior Alex Danko. 

Marymount worked to keep the game close for much of the first half until the 5:25 mark when a Hood free throw pushed a double-digit advantage. It wouldn't stay that way for long, as Rogers answered on the next series with another three pointer for the Saints. 

Another three pointer, this time by the Blazers, pushed it back to a double-digit lead, 25-15, until Kamara followed with two-straight series of buckets from behind the arc to get the Saints back within four. 

A layup by senior Pat Dumais got Marymount closer, but five points in the closing 30 seconds by Hood gave the Blazers a 31-23 lead at the break. 

The Saints continued to chip away at Hood's lead in the second half, eventually using a 13-0 run to draw the score even at 41-41 with 10:52 remaining in the game. Freshman Taiga Walker cashed in on six points in the run, while junior Emmett Sloan added five including the layup to tie the game up. 

Hood would reclaim the lead, but the Saints didn't go down without a fight, keeping within single digits until the final 15 seconds. Two free throws to end the game by freshman Josh Giardinacapped off the scoring for the game, as Marymount came up short 64-56. 

Behind Kamara's 18 points, Walker chipped in 10 points in his collegiate debut. 

The men will return home to host the fourth-annual Pablo Coto Tip-Off Tournament this weekend, taking on Kean University on Saturday, November 19 in the first round at 5:30 p.m., in the Verizon Sports Arena.