Senior forward Greg Rowson scored a game-high 21 points, while senior Da'Shawn Cook added 13, and the defense limited host Salisbury University to just 53 points, as the University of Mary Washington men's basketball team defeated the Sea Gulls, 64-53, on Wednesday night in Salisbury. Junior guard Zack Blue added 11 points, nine rebounds, and five steals for the Eagles, now 17-6 on the season.

UMW got off to a strong start, scoring the first eight points of the game, with Cook scoring four. Salisbury answered with a run to draw to within 11-8 with 13:10 remaining. Blue, Cook, and Dorian Davis followed with consecutive scores to put the Eagles ahead, 17-8, and Blue added seven straight points with three minutes remaining to put UMW ahead, 29-19. The Eagles led, 33-25, at halftime.

In the second, the lead remained around 10 for the Eagles, until a Sea Gulls 8-0 run pulled them to within 43-40 with 13:17 left. But UMW answered with a 7-0 streak, led by four points from junior Matias Prock, and the lead returned to 10. A Salisbury three pointer drew them to within 50-43 with 8:53 remaining, but the Eagles would allow the hosts to draw no closer down the stretch.

Rowson led all scorers with 21 points on 8-16 shooting, with four free throws. Cook added 13 and Blue 11. Mary Washington shot 44.4% (24-54), making 5-20 three point attempts and 11-14 free throws. Salisbury shot 37.8% (17-45), making 8-18 three point tries and 11-14 free throws. The Eagles held a 31-30 edge in rebounding, and forced 15 Salisbury turnovers.

The Eagles will return to action next Wednesday when they visit Christopher Newport University at 7:30 p.m.