KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Nov. 23, 2024) – Seniors Drew Zalescik (Lambertville, N.J.) and Isaac Vencel (Bloomington, Ind.) combined to score 60 points as the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy men's basketball team prevailed, 77-69, in a back-and-forth contest at home against Rutgers-Newark. USMMA improved to 3-1 with the win, while Rutgers-Newark fell to 3-2 in defeat.
 
Game Links

• Box Score
• WATCH: Postgame Interview With Senior Drew Zalescik 

Zalescik shot 12-of-19 from the floor and finished with a game-high 31 points to lead the Mariners, while Vencel made 12-of-20 baskets as part of a 29-point effort. USMMA shot 51.8 percent (29-of-56) from the floor and totaled 12 steals on its way to posting a 22-8 edge in points off turnovers.
 
Levi Holton made 9-of-12 shots to lead Rutgers-Newark with 26 points. The Scarlet Raiders shot 54.5 percent (24-of-44) from the floor, including a 61.5 percent (8-of-13) effort from long range, but made just 13-of-22 free throws (59.1 percent) and committed 20 turnovers.
 
The teams were tied at 8-8 before a Vencel 3-pointer helped key a 9-0 run that gave the Mariners its largest lead of the half, 17-8, with 8:43 to play. The Scarlet Raiders answered with a 3-pointer before another trey later capped a 10-4 run that trimmed the USMMA lead to just three, 21-18, at the 4:25 mark.
 
After a Vencel layup pushed the lead to five, Rutgers-Newark scored five-straight points to level things at 23-23. Vencel followed with a layup-and-one before the visitors pulled even once again with a 3-pointer. USMMA went back on top courtesy of a Zalescik layup, but the Scarlet Raiders buried another 3-pointer to grab a 29-28 lead at the 1:23 mark. The teams traded buckets to close out the half and Rutgers-Newark took a 31-30 lead into halftime.
 
USMMA retook a three-point lead after opening the second half with back-to-back buckets, but the Scarlet Raiders tied the game at 34-34 with a 3-pointer. The Mariners went up by three once again only to see another Rutgers-Newark 3-pointer level things at 39-39 before the visitors took a 41-39 lead on a pair of free throws at the 15:47 mark.
 
Vencel brought the Mariners even with a slam before Zalescik buried a 3-pointer as part of a 7-0 run that quickly put USMMA up, 46-41. After Rutgers-Newark closed to within three points, Zalescik opened an 8-0 run with a layup-and-one and capped it off with a 3-pointer that gave USMMA a 56-45 advantage with 10:17 to play.
 
The Mariners led by 10, 60-50, before the Scarlet Raiders scored six-straight points to make it a four-point game with 3:59 on the clock. The Mariners still led by just four at the 2:27 mark before Zalescik converted a pair of free throws then stole the ball and made a layup to extend the lead to 69-61. USMMA made 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch to secure the 77-69 victory.
 
The Mariners return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 26, for a 7 p.m. road game at Brooklyn College.
 
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