BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (Feb. 20) – The Tigers were defeated 129-110 at Bluefield State in non-conference action Saturday afternoon.
 
The Salem International University men's basketball team (4-20) had five players score in double figures, led by senior Jerry Sipple, III (Kansas City, Mo./Wyandotte) with a career-high 30 points and nine rebounds on 11-of-18 (61 percent) from the field.
 
Senior Tyler Bell (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central) added 22 points, junior Victor Blakey (Suitland, Md./Friendly) finished with 17, while both sophomore Saquan Epps (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglass) and junior Parris Purcelle (Greenburgh, N.Y./Irvington) each chipped in 10 points in the loss.
 
Bluefield State (7-17) took a 75-56 lead into the half behind a 33-point performance by Mark Durgan, who made 12-of-16 attempts, including 5-of-7 from long range. The Blues leading scorer finished the game with 56 points before the final buzzer sounded.
 
Bluefield State held a sizeable advantage near the basket, out-scoring the Tigers 50 to 20 in the paint.
 
Salem International returns to Great Midwest Athletic Conference play and the T. Edward Davis Gymnasium for its final two games of the season, beginning with a battle against Trevecca on Thursday, Feb. 25 around 7 p.m.