OWINGS MILLS, MD - The Maritime College basketball team couldn't overcome a slow start in the first round of the Buffalo Wild Wings Classic at Stevenson University. The Privateers struggled to find the bottom of the net in the first half against the hosts and ultimately fell by a score of 80-53.

Maritime shot poorly in the first half against Stevenson and entered the locker room with a big deficit. However, they were able to turn it around in the second half as they outscored the Mustangs 43-39 on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent shooting from three-point range.

Brendan McGovern (Seaford, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) and Mike Regan (Dix Hills, N.Y./St. Anthony's) got things rolling in the second half with back-to-back three point shots in the opening minutes. Following them up was more solid shooting from behind the arc, this time from the freshmen duo of Evan Sirakis (Oakland Gardens, NY/St. Francis Prep) and Sean Flynn (Flushing, NY/Holy Cross) off the bench. Alec Downes (Seaford, N.Y./St. John the Baptist) then kept the momentum going as he scored eight consecutive points in a one-minute span. However, the strong second half wasn't enough to overcome the first half deficit and the Privateers suffered their second loss of the 2019-20 season.

McGovern and Sirakis led the offense with 15 points each. Sirakis also led the rebounding effort with six, while Chris Ruscillo (Carle Place, N.Y./Carle Place) and Jaylin Gray (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth) added five each. Maritime will take on McDaniel College in the second round of the tournament tomorrow at 2 p.m.