Second Half Surge Pushes Gulls Past Clark University, 88-72, In Herb Kenny Tip-Off Tourney

MIDDLETOWN, Conn.- The Endicott men's basketball team defeated Clark University, 88-72, in the Herb Kenny Tip-Off Tournament Friday night at Silloway Gym.

With the win, the Gulls move to 2-1 (0-0 CCC) to start the year, while the Cougars fell to 1-2 (0-0 NEWMAC) on the season.

Endicott took a 37-33 lead into the half before pouring on a season-high 51 points in the second half.

The Gulls outrebounded the Cougars, 41-30, and shot 58.3 percent from the floor compared to Clark's 36.9 percent in the game.

Junior guard Kamahl Walker (Worcester, Mass.) paced the Gulls with 29 points, as he was 11-of-14 shooting, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 at the free throw line.

BEYOND THE BOX

• Junior forward Daquan Sampson (Jacksonville, N.C.) led the field with eight rebounds to go with 10 points, one assist and two blocks.
• Junior guard Max Motroni (West Warwick, R.I.) chipped in 19 points with six assists and five rebounds.
• The Gulls had four student-athletes in double-digit scoring as junior guard Stephen Basden (Lynn, Mass.) added 11 points and six rebounds.
• The Gulls' 19-of-30 field goal percentage in the second stanza (63.3 percent) was their best yet this season for either half.
• Endicott has scored 88 points in back-to-back games this season.

FOR THE FOES

• Senior guard Tyler Huffman (West Hartford, Conn.) scored a team-leading 30 points and added three steals for Clark.
• Junior forward David Mercier (Milford, Mass.) and junior forward Lamar Berk (St. Augustine, Fla.) tallied 14 and 11 points, respectively.

NOTES

• The Gulls are 1-5 all-time against Clark University, as the Gulls bested Clark for the first time in program history. The Cougars' most recent victory versus the Gulls was on Dec. 8, 2012 in Worcester, Mass.

WHAT'S NEXT

 The Gulls (2-1) will face Lyndon St. in the Championship game at the Herb Kenny Tip-Off Tournament sponsored by Crowne Plaza Cromwell and hosted by Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.) on Saturday, November 21 at 3:00 p.m. Clark University (1-2) meets Wesleyan (Conn.) in the consolation bracket at 1:00 p.m. 

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