A 16-2 run to start the second half broke open a one-point game as Salem University had its three-game winning streak snapped with an 80-67 loss at Notre Dame College (Ohio) in NCAA Division II men's basketball Sunday at South Euclid, Ohio. Shawn Christian led five players in double figures with 17 points and Jordan Forbes scored nine of his 14 points during an 11-0 run to help the Tigers slice an 18-point deficit down to single digits in the final minutes.
 
The first half saw nine ties and 11 lead changes as neither team led by more than four points. A 9-2 run on a three-pointer by Forbes and back-to-back three's by Fonz Hale gave Salem (7-7) its biggest lead at 28-24 with 6:28 remaining. After Notre Dame hit a pair of three-pointers to regain the lead, Christian answered with a three of his own to put the Tigers back on top 31-30.
 
Notre Dame (3-9) scored the next four points, but Christian hit another three to tie the game again 34-34 with 1:10 left before halftime. After Forbes answered a Falcons basket with a left-handed layup down the lane, Ralph Diaz hit both ends of a one-and-one with 7.8 seconds left to break a 36-36 tie. But Notre Dame's Drew Scarberry hit a three from the left wing at the buzzer to send the Falcons into the locker room with a 39-38 advantage.
 
Scarberry hit another three on Notre Dame's opening possession of the second half and the Falcons went on to score the first 12 points after halftime. Diaz ended the streak with a basket, but Notre Dame added two more field goals to take a 55-40 lead with 14:01 left to play.
 
After Notre Dame took its biggest lead of the game at 68-50, Forbes hit a three-pointer with 6:50 remaining to spark a Tiger comeback. Forbes followed with an offensive putback and a layup to cut the margin to 11 and force a Notre Dame timeout with exactly five minutes left.
 
Diaz recorded steals on each of the Falcons' next three possessions, leading to an uncontested layup by Hale and a pair of free throws by Forbes to pull Salem within 68-61 with 3:55 remaining. After another defensive stop, the Tigers appeared to cut the margin to five, but a basket was waved off for an offensive foul.
 
Notre Dame pushed the lead back up to nine with a pair of free throws on its next possession and Salem never got any closer than eight points the rest of the way.
 
Hale matched Forbes with 14 points, while Diaz and Marko Tutunovic added 10 points apiece. Forbes dished out five assists and shared team-high rebounding honors with Diaz with six boards.
 
Scarberry led all players with 21 points for Notre Dame.
 
Sunday's game ends a string of seven consecutive road contests for the Tigers. Salem has its first home game since December 1 as the Tigers play host to Central State University Tuesday evening. Tip-off is 7 p.m. at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.