SALEM, W.Va. — Salem men's basketball survived a wire-to-wire battle on Saturday afternoon, knocking down crucial free throws late to secure a 76–75 victory over West Virginia Wesleyan inside T. Edward Davis Gymnasium. The win pushes the Tigers to 6–4 on the season.

The matchup featured 12 ties and 16 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than seven points. Salem entered halftime trailing 45–44, but the Tigers' defensive adjustments and improved free-throw shooting down the stretch proved decisive.

Tigers Deliver Balanced Scoring Attack

Salem's offense was fueled by a trio of double-figure scorers:

• Zahki Fallen led the Tigers with 18 points, including three three-pointers and a pair of clutch free throws late in regulation.

• Justin Fisher followed with 15 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the free-throw line.

• Jamari Gamble added 14 points, reaching the stripe often and finishing 5-of-6 from the line.

Xavier Price added 12 points and five rebounds, while Eman Lawal posted a strong all-around performance with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks, anchoring Salem's interior defense.

Key Second-Half Moments

After entering the break down by one, Salem quickly regained the lead early in the second half behind the guard trio of Fallen, Fisher, and Gamble. Wesleyan briefly went ahead 72–70 with under a minute to play, but the Tigers responded with defensive pressure and timely free throws.

• With 27 seconds left, Fallen hit one of two at the line to pull Salem within one.

• After Wesleyan split a pair at the stripe, Price answered with a free throw of his own to make it a two-point game.

• Fisher then iced the contest, hitting two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to make it 76–72.

Wesleyan hit a contested three at the buzzer, but Salem's lead held firm.

Team Efficiency the Difference

Salem shot 42% from the field and earned 30 free-throw attempts, converting 21 of them. The Tigers capitalized on Wesleyan turnovers, outscoring the Bobcats 16–5 in points off giveaways.

The Tigers also held their own on the glass, finishing with a 34–47 rebounding mark but securing key late boards that helped close out the game.

Next up, the Tigers take on Glenville State at home on Wednesday, December 17th at 7:30 PM.