Toms River, NJ - The Ocean County College Vikings defeated Union County College by a final score of 79-72 before a packed house in Union, NJ. The Vikings seemed to feed off the energy of the crowd in what was a defensive battle, establishing a 7-point lead heading into halftime. The contest had several lead changes, with the Vikings trailing by 6 points with just under 4 minutes left in regulation. Mergim Gjyriqi sunk two straight three-point shots in the game's closing moments, placing the Vikings in the lead by 5 points with less than a minute left, and Ted Thelemaque cemented the victory with a breakaway slam dunk.
Leading the Vikings all night was freshman forward Roy Russell IV, with 20 points, 17 rebounds and 2 pivotal blocks. Sophomores Ted Thelemaque added 22 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks, Corey Thomas finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds, and Mike Golden contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals.
The Vikings' next game is another road challenge, as they visit Middlesex County College on Saturday (12/3).