Malique Ross's three-point play with 1:21 left broke a 72-72 tie and Fonz Hale's basket with 26 remaining proved to be the game winner as Salem University held off Central State University 77-75 in NCAA Division II men's basketball Tuesday at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. Ralph Diaz made two key defensive plays during a late 10-0 scoring run that put the Tigers ahead to stay.
 
Salem (8-7) trailed 72-67 with 3:40 left to play when the Tigers began their comeback. The Tigers tied the game on a free throw by Hale and layups by Ross and Shawn Christian. Central State had a chance to regain the lead with 1:45 remaining, but Diaz blocked a three-point attempt from the right corner to force a shot clock violation.
 
On Salem's ensuing possession, Ross drove the right baseline for the tie-breaking layup and drew a foul. Ross converted the free throw to give Salem a 75-72 lead.
 
Central State (6-7) missed a pair of three-point attempts, but got the offensive rebound. A Marauder putback attempt was waved off when Diaz drew a charging foul with 55 seconds left.
 
Hale kept the ball up top until the shot clock ran down to eight seconds. He drove into the lane, shook off his defender with a ball fake and hit a 10-footer to make it a two-possession game at 77-72.
 
Central State stayed alive when Orion Monford grabbed a long offensive rebound on a missed three-pointer and hit a three of his own from the right corner to pull the Marauders within a basket with 14 seconds left. Salem had a pair of chances to extend the lead but twice missed the front end of a one-and-one.
 
The Marauders called timeout 2.8 seconds left and had a chance for the game-winner. Harris Brown drove across halfcourt and launched a 40-footer that was on target from the right sideline, but the shot wouldn't fall as Salem held on for the win.
 
Salem held a one-point halftime lead and built the margin to as many as seven points in the second half. Central State went back on top 68-67 with 4:14 remaining after a three-point play by Dreon Lewis. Central State had a chance to extend the lead after a Tiger personal and technical foul, but the Marauders missed all four free throw attempts. Brown salvaged the possession with a jumper and added a pair of free throws on the Marauders' next possession to make it a five-point game before the Tigers rallied.
 
Hale hit three 3-pointers during a 16-4 scoring run in the first half to give Salem its biggest lead of the game at 36-28 with 4:24 left. Central State chipped away at the lead and Quinton Glaspie's three-point play with 24 seconds remaining pulled the Marauders within 40-39 at halftime.
 
Christian shared game-high honors with 20 points for Salem, while Hale scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half. Ross and Stan Smith finished with 10 points apiece, while Diaz pulled down 12 rebounds. Jordan Forbes was plagued with foul trouble and saw his streak of 14 consecutive double-figure scoring games come to an end, but still nearly recorded a double-double with eight rebounds and eight assists. Scott McGann pulled down seven boards and matched Diaz with a pair of blocked shots.
 
Darweshi Hunter led four Central State players in double figures with 20 points to go with a game-high 14 rebounds. The two teams were even on the glass with 48 rebounds each. The Marauders had 18 offensive boards.
 
Tuesday's contest was the Tigers' fourth game in a span of eight days. Salem is off until Monday when the Tigers play host to Cheyney University as part of a doubleheader with Salem women's basketball at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. The women's game tips off at 6 p.m., followed by the men's game at 8 p.m.