SALISBURY, Md. -- Virginia Wesleyan College's No. 25 ranked men's basketball team ended each half of Tuesday's 69-58 season-opening victory at Salisbury University with a little bit of flair.

In the first half, after Salisbury's Sea Gulls battled back to wipe out an eight-point deficit and tie the game on a triple by rookie Gordon Jeter (Easton, Md./Easton), VWC regained the lead when junior Greg Montgomery (Virginia Beach/Princess Anne) scored on a layup at the buzzer.  The Marlins led 30-28 at the break.

Virginia Wesleyan padded and protected its lead throughout the second half, which ended with rookie Kaelin Poe (Hampton/Kecoughtan) receiving a roar of approval from his teammates after he dunked the ball with just three seconds on the clock. His slam was set up by an assist from senior DJ Woodmore (Virginia Beach/Landstown).

Salisbury (1-1) stayed close to the Marlins in the first four minutes of the second half, thanks to the scoring of seniors Tim Harwood (Rockville, Md./Magruder) and Brandyn Wilkerson (Mount Airy, Md./Linganore) and Jeter, and trailed just 36-33. 

But, VWC generated a 6-1 run behind rookie Brandon Mitchell (Albany, Ga./Westover), sophomore Sedric Nady (Virginia Beach/Landstown), and Woodmore, to pad the lead to eight points, 42-34, with 12:52 to play.

A triple by Woodmore and layup by Montgomery increased the lead to 11, 49-38, a minute later and Salisbury was unable to get closer than five points the remainder of the game.  That was with 7:27 on the clock after Jeter nailed a three to cut the deficit to 49-44.

Virginia Wesleyan pulled away in the next five minutes, out-scoring the Gulls 14-3 to ice the win. Woodmore knocked down nine points in that run.

VWC's victory snapped a two-game losing skid to Salisbury.

Woodmore emerged as the leading scorer for Virginia Wesleyan with a game-high 18 points. He hit 5-of-7 field goals, including three triples, and connected on 5-of-6 attempts from the free throw lines. He also contributed with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal.  Senior Colby Heard (Virginia Beach/Tallwood) hit on 6-of-10 field goal attempts en route to scoring 15 points, Greg Montgomery finished with nine, and Mitchell added eight.

Jeter led Salisbury with 15 points and Harwood backed him with 12 and five assists. Sophomore Luke Ruland (Olney, Md./Magruder) produced a game-high four blocks for the Gulls.

Virginia Wesleyan opens its home slate on Thursday, Nov. 21, welcoming the Eagles of Georgia's Emory University to the Jane P. Batten Student Center for the first time. That game begins at 7 p.m.

--AMDG--