By Jim Fenton

SALEM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's basketball team dropped its third straight game to fall below .500 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Bears were edged by Salem State University, 79-78, at the Twohig Gymnasium Wednesday night after missing a potential game-tying free throw and three potential game-winning field-goal attempts in close during the final seven seconds.

BSU (6-14) is now 4-5 in the MASCAC while the Vikings (12-8) improved to 5-4 in the conference with a third straight win.

The Bears were down by seven points with less than three minutes remaining and pulled even at 77 with 1:24 to go.

Salem State took a 79-77 lead with 17 seconds to go on a pair of foul shots by senior Tyrese Rho (Boston, Mass.).

BSU senior Louis Jennings (Walpole, Mass.) was fouled with seven seconds to go and made the first free throw but, after a Salem timeout, missed the second.

The Bears then missed three shots after grabbing offensive rebounds but were unable to convert and lost to the Vikings for the second time this season.

Junior Josh Campbell (Plymouth, Mass.) made 9 of 18 shots and scored 20 points while grabbing seven rebounds for BSU.

Senior Aidan Rock (Westport, Mass.) scored 19 points, hitting all 7 of 8 shots, and had seven rebounds.

Junior Sam Sweeney (Burlington, Vt.) made three 3-pointers and scored 14 points to go with eight rebounds and six assists.

Jennings scored 11 points on 5 of 6 shooting with seven rebounds.

Salem State sophomore Ali Barry (Lynn, Mass.) had a team-high 23 points plus eight rebounds and four assists.

Freshman Raheim Orleans (Attleboro, Mass.) scored 21 points on 9-for-10 shooting and added seven rebounds and two s teals while senior Wil Martinez (Revere, Mass.) scored 15 points.

BSU shot 54 percent and had a 43-34 edge in rebounds, but the Bears had 25 turnovers while Salem State committed just seven.

The Vikings jumped to a 6-0 lead and were up, 10-3, less than four minutes into the game.

After trailing, 16-7, the Bears scored nine straight points to tie it as Rock contributed a pair of three-point plays.

BSU took a 26-24 lead on a basket by senior Abdoul Bah (Lynn, Mass.) midway through the first half and the Bears held a 39-34 lead on a Campbell layup with 4:25 to go.

Two baskets in the final 1:06 enabled Salem State to pull even at 42 at halftime.

There were three ties in the opening 3:11 of the second half before Salem State opened a 56-48 lead with 13:52 to go on a Rho layup.

BSU rallied back to open a 64-63 lead on a jumper by Campbell with 7:44 left, but the Vikings surged back in front, 75-68, with 2:59 remaining.

Rock hit a 3-pointer and a foul shot in the span of 32 seconds and after a Rho layup, Jennings made a layup to get the Bears within 77-74.

Sweeney was fouled on a 3-pointer and tied the game with three free throws with 1:24 to go, setting up the final minute when BSU had its chances.

The Bears, who are tied for fifth place with Fitchburg State, return home Saturday at 2 p.m. to face Anna Maria. Senior Day festivities will take place prior to the start of the game.

Salem State will be at Framingham State on Saturday at 2 p.m.