SALISBURY – On two different occasions in Saturday's non-conference game the Gallaudet University men's basketball team used 12-point runs to pull closer to the host Sea Gulls of Salisbury University. Unfortunately, time ran out on the Bison comeback as they lost, 73-68, in the Maggs Center.

Gallaudet (0-7) trailed by 20 points over six minutes into the second half but thanks to a trio of first-year players the Bison went on a 12-0 run to cut the gap down to 54-46 at the 8:20 mark. First-year forward Wyatt Carlson (Hubertus, Wis.) scored five of the 12 points while guard Jory Valencia (Riverside, Calif.) made two baskets and guard Alex Ortman (Norway, Mich.) sank a 3-pointer.

Salisbury (5-2) responded with its own run and outscored the Bison, 15-10, as the Sea Gulls led 69-56 with 2:35 left. The host figured the game was in hand but Valencia and company had other thoughts. Valencia, who only had four points in the first half, scored seven of GU's 12 points down the stretch. Gallaudet outscored Salisbury, 12-4, over the final 2:35 left in regulation but time ran out on the Bison as they lost the five-point game.

Valencia led the Bison scorers with 15 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior forward Blessed Mbogo (Silver Spring, Md.) added 13 points and seven boards and one block. First-year forward Elijah Fabela (Ceres, Calif.) came off the bench to net 10 points on 5 of 6 shooting from the field and swatted away two Sea Gull shots.

First-year guard Nabhi Abbushi Jr. (Fairfield, Calif.) tallied nine points and three assists while Ortman finished with eight points, five boards and three assists. Carlson's five second-half points was his total in the game to go with six rebounds.

Gallaudet's five first-year players finished with a combined 47 points which accounted for 69 percent of the Bison offense.

The Bison made 75 percent of their free throws (12-for-16) while Salisbury struggled from the charity stripe with a 41.7 percent performance (10-for-24).

Salisbury was led by Jordan Oates, who finished with a game-high 21 points and 21 rebounds (15 on the defensive end) to go with three blocks and one assist. Kedrick Frink and Aidan Camper recorded 16 and 11 points, respectively.

UP NEXT
The Bison return home and will host Penn State Harrisburg (2-4, 0-1 United East) in a conference game this Wednesday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Field House.