Salem University erased a 17-point first-half deficit was tied with less than 90 seconds left in the game before falling to Tiffin University 84-81 in NCAA Division II men's basketball Saturday at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. Malique Ross and Fonz Hale led five Tigers in double figures with 14 points apiece.
 
Salem (1-2) trailed the entire first half, but pulled within one possession when Marko Tutonovic's five-point run cut Tiffin's lead to 49-46 with 15:45 left in the contest. The margin never grew beyond five points and baskets by Hale and Ross produced the first tie of the game at 60-60 with 10:16 remaining.
 
Ross answered a Tiffin three with a trey of his own and after a dunk by Jairus Stevens broke a 65-65 tie, Hale's three-pointer with 6:44 remaining gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 68-67. After Tiffin regained the lead, Salem tied the game again 76-76 on a three-pointer by Aleksa Dobrijevic with 1:59 left to play.
 
Hale answered another Dragon basket with a pair of free throws with 1:26 left for the fifth tie of the second half. But Stevens' basket 20 seconds later put Tiffin (2-2) back on top to stay.
 
The Dragons built the lead to six points before Jordan Forbes' three-pointer from the top of the key made it a one-possession game. Salem had a chance to tie at the buzzer, but a three-pointer in traffic was off the mark.
 
Salem spotted Tiffin the first seven points of the game and the Dragons built their first double-digit lead just over five minutes into the contest at 17-5 on a Trent Williams three-pointer. A three-pointer by Joshua Williams with 9:40 left before halftime gave Tiffin its biggest lead of the game at 30-13.
 
The Tigers chipped away at the lead and Ross's layup with 1:36 left brought the margin back to single digits. Salem got as close as six points after a three-point play by Scott McCann and the Tigers went into the locker room trailing 44-36 at the break.
 
Christian and Tutonovic each finished with 13 points, while Forbes added 12 points and nine rebounds. Forbes and Ross dished out five assists apiece.
 
Stevens led Tiffin with game highs of 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Joshua Williams added 20 points.
 
Salem is back on the road Wednesday as the Tigers travel to nationally fourth-ranked West Liberty University. Tip-off is 7:30 p.m.