Marko Tutunovic's three-point play with 9:26 remaining broke a 54-54 tie and put Salem University ahead to stay as the Tigers extended their winning streak to five with an 81-67 victory over Ohio Valley University in NCAA Division II men's basketball Thursday at Vienna, W.Va. Tutunovic scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the second half as the Tigers rallied from an eight-point deficit to sweep this season's two-game series against the Fighting Scots.
 
Salem (12-7) trailed 47-39 with 14:08 left to play, but Shawn Christian's three-pointer capped a 9-0 run in a span of just over 90 seconds to put the Tigers back on top. The next three minutes saw two lead changes and two ties before Tutunovic drew a foul on a layup and converted the free throw to give the Tigers the lead for good at 57-54.
 
Ralph Diaz went to the floor for a loose ball as Ohio Valley turned the ball over on its next possession and his outlet pass found Fonz Hale for a three-pointer from the left wing. Hale followed with an offensive putback and Tutunovic answered an Ohio Valley three-pointer with a three of his own to give Salem a 65-57 with 6:38 remaining.
 
Ohio Valley (4-17) cut the margin in half, but a pair of Tutunovic free throws and another three by Christian extended the Tigers' lead to 70-61 with 4:02 left. A jumper by Forbes off of a steal by Tutunovic gave Salem its first double-digit lead at 73-63. The Tigers hit 6-of-8 free throws in the final 55 seconds to seal the win.
 
Salem fell behind by five points in the opening minutes of the game before Christian hit back-to-back three-pointers and Marko Tutunovic's three put the Tigers on top 19-16. After Ohio Valley regained the lead, three-pointers by Aleksa Dobrijevic and Malique Ross highlighted a 9-0 run to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the half at 28-20 with 4:46 remaining.
 
The Tigers were held scoreless until Hale drove the lane for a layup with 52 seconds left. Tutunovic blocked a three-point attempt with four seconds left, but Ohio Valley's Bobby Foggin grabbed the loose ball and his short jumper beat the buzzer to cut Salem's lead to 30-26 at the half.
 
Coincidentally, Salem also held a four-point halftime lead in its 84-67 victory over Ohio Valley November 27 at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. But unlike the first meeting when the Tigers scored the first six points after the break and led the entire second half, it was Ohio Valley scoring first six points Thursday night as three-pointers by Parker Black and Ongenjen Vasiljevic put the Fighting Scots on top 32-30 just 63 seconds into the second half.
 
After Malique Ross's three-point play with 15:25 left pulled Salem within 40-39, Ohio Valley went on a 7-0 run to take its biggest lead of the contest. Diaz, Forbes and Hale scored on the Tigers' next three possessions to set up Christian's go-ahead three-pointer.
 
Christian hit five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points, while Forbes added 14 points and Hale had 11 points. Diaz, Forbes, Ross and Tutunovic all shared team-high honors with eight rebounds apiece. Tutunovic also led all players with four steals.
 
Black and Dylan Harrison led Ohio Valley with 17 points each, while David Adeyemo pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds for the Fighting Scots.
 
Salem returns to action Monday as the Tigers travel to Cheyney, Pa., for a rematch against Cheyney University. The Tigers set school single-game and first-half scoring records in their 142-75 victory over the Wolves January 13 at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. Monday's game tips off at 7:30 p.m. and is the second game of a doubleheader with Tiger women's basketball against Cheyney.