Both teams came out strong defensively as it took 11 minutes elapsed time for either team to eclipse double-figures in the scoring column. Leading by as many as five points in the early going following a Zach Wyatte lay in to give the Blue & Gray a 7-2 lead. Maritime methodically went on a 7-2 run over the span of nearly five minutes to knot the game at 9-all with 9:44 left in the first.
The Mariners reclaimed the advantage with a 10-0 spurt, culminating with consecutive treys by Johnathan Fassnacht and Pat Grace. But Maritime would slice the lead in half heading into the break trailing by five, 25-20.
In the second, USMMA upped the lead back to seven, but the Privateers continued to fight, crawling back into the game with a 7-0 run to knot the affair at 29 with 15:38 remaining. Maritime took its first lead of the night 50 seconds later courtesy a Gerard Danzy three ball, but that shot was answered on the ensuing Mariner possession by Grace, who drilled a jumper from downtown to give KP a 34-32 edge.
Kings Point would cling onto a two possession lead for the next eight minutes, before a Wyatte lay up made it an eight point lead following a three point play with 5:49 left.
Maritime once again would quickly respond with a 6-0 spurt to get within a field goal, but freshman Alex Loepker gave the Mariners some breathing room with a clutch three ball to up the lead to five, 51-46.
Trailing by four heading into the final two minutes of play, Maritime once again made it interesting as Kenneth Kelly drilled a three ball to pull the Privateers to within a digit, 53-52, with 69 ticks on the clock.
USMMA would milk the clock down to 36 seconds, but failed to score as senior Paul Tricarico’s lay up attempt fell short. Solid defense by the Mariners’ Wyatte, who forced Marc Lashley’s eight foot jumper short, sealed it for USMMA. Grace canned one-of-two freebies with eight tenths of a second remaining to preserve the win for the Academy.
With the win USMMA improved to 6-6 on the season and 1-2 in league play, while the Privateers fell to 2-11 overall and 0-5 in the conference.
Wyatte recorded his fourth double-double on the season with a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds. Tricarico added 12 points and seven boards in the win. Danzy led the way for Maritime with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field. Kelly chipped in with 11 points in the loss for the Privateers.
USMMA returns to action on Thursday, Jan. 19 versus Farmingdale State at 8 p.m. Tune into the Mariners Broadcast Network for the nightcap of the scheduled double-header at approximately 7:45 p.m.