ST. MARY'S, Md. – The Spalding University men's basketball team dropped their season opener to New Jersey City University, 59-53, Saturday evening in St. Mary's, Md.

The Golden Eagles were led by the senior duo of James Turner and Nick Trisko. Turner scored 10 points and grabbed 14 boards, and Trisko scored 10 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.

Spalding started slow, scoring two points while committing four turnovers in the first eight minutes falling behind, 12-2. A trio of free throws and a jumper by Rylan Rowe cut the deficit to five points, but a 14-6 Gothic Knights run pushed the deficit back to 13 points. A Trisko layup cut the lead to 10 with 13 seconds to play, but NJCU's Jalen Harris slashed to the basket for the layup at the buzzer to make it 32-20 at the break.

NJCU stretched the lead to 14 points with a layup by Chinwe Wosu to open the second half. The Golden Eagles mounted a comeback stringing together 10 unanswered points capped off by a pair of James Abrams free throws tying the game, 34-34. A Sam Toney three-pointer put the Gothic Knights back in front, but a basket by Trisko and a pair of Dominique Ellis layups gave the Golden Eagles their first lead to the game, 40-37, with 8:53 to play. NJCU responded with a 15-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 10-point lead with just over five minutes to play. Another Ellis layup would get SU within five points with 2:46 to play, but couldn't complete the comeback falling 59-53.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action Sunday, November 22 against tournament host St. Mary's. Tipoff is slated for 1:00 pm EST.