KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Dec. 6, 2023) – Sophomore Caleb Hutchins (Buffalo, N.Y.) made a game-winning layup with just 0.6 seconds left on the clock to lift the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team past Sarah Lawrence, 57-55. USMMA improved to 4-4 (1-1 Skyline) with the win, while Sarah Lawrence dropped to 3-7 (0-2 Skyline).

Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Senior Bryce Bristow

Hutchins scored 10 points, while senior Bryce Bristow (Plano, Texas) went 4-of-5 from the floor and totaled 11 points to help pace USMMA. Junior Drew Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) added 10 points to give the Mariners three players in double-figures. USMMA shot 41.2 percent (21-of-51) from the floor and benefitted from advantages in both points in the paint (28-17) and points off turnovers (16-8).
 
Eamon Kelly made 6-of-13 3-pointers and scored a game-high 22 points for Sarah Lawrence. The Gryphons shot just 33.3 percent (17-of-51) from the floor, including a 28.6 percent (8-of-28) effort from long range.
 
A 3-pointer at the 14:44 mark gave Sarah Lawrence a 9-3 advantage, but the Mariners answered as Bristow scored eight points to key a 13-0 run that put USMMA on top, 16-9, with 11:32 to go in the first half.
 
Senior Jake Hatch (Austin, Texas) later made a 3-pointer to give USMMA a 24-12 lead, its largest of the half, at the 4:36 mark. The Gryphons whittled the lead down to five before a layup from junior Isaac Vencel (Bloomington, Ind.) in the closing seconds gave the Mariners a 29-22 lead at the break.
 
The Mariners led by 10 points with 15:17 to play before Sarah Lawrence cut the lead to just five, 36-31, after a quick 7-2 spurt. A Hutchins 3-pointer extended the USMMA advantage to nine before Sarah Lawrence worked its way back to within four, 47-43, with just 4:34 to go.
 
Junior Brandon Allison (Fayetteville, Ga.) answered with a layup and Zalescik nailed a 3-pointer to promptly push the lead back to nine, 52-43, before Sarah Lawrence once again pulled to within four, 52-48, with just 2:28 remaining.
 
USMMA grabbed a 55-49 lead on a Zalescik free throw at the 1:04 mark, but Sarah Lawrence made back-to-back 3-pointers to level the score at 55-55 with just 12 seconds to play.
 
After catching a pass in the corner, Hutchins faked a 3-pointer before cutting to the basket for the game-winning layup.
 
The Mariners next head to Brooklyn on Dec. 9 for a 1 p.m. contest against Skyline foe St. Joseph's-Brooklyn. Live stats and a live video feed of the game will be available with links on the USMMA Men's Basketball Schedule Page.
 
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