Williams’ 39 points leads SU to thrilling OT win over Villa Julie
SALISBURY, Md. – Ray Williams scored a tournament record 39 points to lead the Salisbury University men’s basketball team to an 84-83 overtime victory over Villa Julie College on Tuesday night at the Maggs Center in the opening round of the 2006 Provident Bank Pride of Maryland Tournament.

Williams made a running lay-up in the waning seconds of the first overtime period to give SU (3-0) the one-point advantage. Villa Julie (1-1) had a final shot to win the game but the Mustang desperation shot fell short.

Salisbury advances to Saturday’s semifinal game at Goucher College where the Sea Gulls will face McDaniel College. The Green Terror defeated Hood College, 66-64, in another first round game this evening in Westminster, Md. The semifinal game will tip-off at 6 p.m. in Towson, Md. Johns Hopkins University and Goucher College will face-off in the other tournament semifinal game at 8 p.m.

The two teams played even throughout the game as the teams went into halftime knotted at 35 apiece. The two teams continued to trade baskets in the second half as the biggest lead was five, held by SU with less then five minutes to play. VJC battled back to take a 73-70 lead with 19 seconds left in the game. Salisbury then placed the ball in the hands of its senior guard, Williams, and let him go to work. As the final seconds ticked off the clock, Williams drained the game-tying three-pointer with five seconds left to force the overtime period.

Williams shot 12-of-20 from the field (3-of-5 from behind the three-point line) and was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line.

Salisbury was also led by its other senior guard, Segun Odumeru, who scored 17 points and sophomore forward Ozi Menakaya ribbed down 12 rebounds.

Menakaya was named the PrestoSports Pride of Maryland Player of the Week on Monday for his performance last weekend in the Mt. Aloysius Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament for the Sea Gulls where he had back-to-back double-doubles.

Villa Julie was paced by senior Steven Segears, who led all Mustang scorers with 21 points. Senior Phillip Williams (20 points) was a point shy of Seagears’ output.

Salisbury finished seventh last year in the first Pride of Maryland Tournament. The first round victory assures that the Gulls will not finish worse then fourth place.

For updates on the tournament this weekend please log onto www.providentpride.com.