Six Hit Double Digits in Men's Basketball's Comeback Road Win Over Tigers

SALEM, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Men's Basketball team overcame a 12-point first half deficit to defeat Salem (WV) 99-90 on the road Wednesday night.
 
SU got the game started with the opening tip and scored off of offensive rebounds on their first two possessions, while senior Koby Baptiste added one of his own plus a steal-and-score to go with a redshirt-junior Justin Roseme three and an early 7-4 lead. The Tigers hit right back with a triple of their own and an and-one, then added back-to-back layups at the cup to go up by five. Freshman Christopher Meakin, senior JayShaun Freeman, and junior Jaden Baker all also had close shots fall, but after freshman Trey Simmons made a quick steal and outlet to junior Chase Whippen that brought FSU within three, Salem hit another gear midway through the half.
 
Within a one-minute stretch, SU hit a long jumper, a make from deep, and a bucket plus the foul to surge ahead 30-19. Roseme and Baptiste tried to regain some control for the Bobcats with a trey and lay-in, respectively, but the Tigers got to the charity stripe and forced five straight Frostburg misses before getting a basket to fall for a 36-24 lead with just over five minutes to go. Roseme responded by hitting again from behind the arc, then Baptiste put back his own miss that helped kick off an FSU run.
 
Trailing by nine with four minutes on the clock, graduate Eric Sondberg got into the lane for a make at the basket, the followed up a Freeman triple with one of his own to suddenly bring the deficit back down to three. After a quick layup from Salem, Frostburg went into turbo mode offensively, as Whippen went perfect at the line, then Sondberg and Freeman connected from range and Baker got a floater to go just before the buzzer, as the Bobcats took a shock 47-42 lead into the locker room.
 
Sonberg continued his hot shooting into the second half, while Whippen was found by Baptiste under the rim to hold a six-point advantage, but the Tigers came right back with an old-fashioned three-point play and another layup with the score now at 52-51. Whippen helped restore the balance while Freeman made up for a miss with a second-chance bucket before Baptiste muscled his way into the lane to back up by a half dozen.
 
The sides traded scores back-and-forth over the next four possessions, as despite a narrow Bobcat lead, SU never let them get away, tying the game twice on three-pointers either side of Sondberg hitting another trey. Now at a 70-70 contest, Baker asserted himself on the game, scoring seven of FSU's next ten points on a pair of tough baskets to go with a three, with Freeman also chipping one in to go ahead 80-74. Salem again tried to stick around, scoring on their next three trips to the offensive end, but Sondberg and Freeman kept them at bay, the former once again hitting from deep and the latter going perfect at the line.
 
Holding just a four-point lead with four minutes to go, Baptiste came up with a pair of clutch plays, first rising highest to grab a miss for a putback, then immediately diving on the floor to earn a steal and layup to move up 89-81. After Baker once again drove the paint, Baptiste was whistled for a foul, his fifth of the game, sending the Tigers to the line to pull back within six and putting him on the bench. Whippen helped pick up his teammate, coming up with a big offensive board as things went into the final minute, forcing Salem to foul the rest of the way. Baker and Freeman combined to make each of their next six chances at the line, as while an SU three gave them some hope, they weren't able to add another tally, giving FSU the 99-90 final.
 
A whopping six Bobcats reached double figures in the effort, led by Baker's 21 and followed by Baptiste's 18, Sondberg and Freeman each putting up 17, and Whippen and Roseme each reaching 11 on the night. Baptiste also nabbed a game-high 15 boards for his third double-double in the last four games, while also leading the team with five assists and seven steals, tying him for the third-most in a single game in program history in the latter category.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 7-8 on the year, while Salem drops to 4-11. FSU returns home on Saturday, January 18 to face Point Park in their first-ever MEC contest against the Pioneers at 4 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.