Box Score SALEM, W. Va. (Jan. 27, 2018) – Basketball can be a make-or-miss game, but even within the random ebbs and flows of shooting percentages are opportunities to extract victory.
The Salem University Tigers men's basketball team struggled to connect from the field, hitting just 39.1 percent, including 30.0 percent from the 3-point line, and 58.3 percent from the free-throw line. But it was in Salem's inability to manage things within their control that proved to make the difference in a 69-66 loss to Bluefield State College.
Salem committed 18 turnovers, including nine live ball turnovers, surrendering 15 points off turnovers, including 10 fast break points. Worse than the number of turnovers is the situations in which they occurred, throwing the ball away in transition or with an advantage.
This was all Bluefield State College needed with lightning quick guard Korey Williams leading his team with 27 points on 7-for-15 shooting. Williams was, at times, a one-man break—pushing the ball past two or three defenders, bursting through a thicket of arms and getting to the free throw line, where he went 11-for-12.
The Tigers threw different defenses at Williams, including a box-and-one, but Bluefield's guard managed to repeatedly get downhill and to the rim, pushing the pace before the defense could set or cutting off the ball.
Salem's struggles from deep allowed Bluefield's defense to sag into the paint, fronting
Malik Toppin, limiting his touches and forcing him to play in a crowd when he did touch the ball. The Tigers' leading scorer posted just nine shots, scoring just 10 points with only one free throw attempt and 14 rebounds.
With the Tigers' post and pick-and-roll game choked off, Salem leaned heavily on
Reggie Oliver's shot creation ability, getting 22 points, hitting 4-for-10 from the 3-point line, and dishing out five assists.
Marko Tutunovic scored 11 points for Salem, stretching the floor from the power forward spot, hitting 3-for-6 from deep.
Darren Montgomery had 12 points and four rebounds.
Chris Melton had 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Bluefield State, and Rob Brown had 12 points. With the loss, the Tigers drop to 5-14 on the season, including 4-6 at home. Salem will travel to play Wheeling Jesuit University on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m.
