ST. MARY'S CITY, MD – The St. Mary's College Seahawks clinched the 2009-2010 Capital Athletic Conference regular season men's basketball championship as they bested second-place York College 82-63 in a conference contest on Saturday in St. Mary's City, MD.

The 17^th ranked Seahawks improve to 21-3 overall and 13-2 in the CAC as they have secured the top seed in next week's conference tournament. York still controls their own tournament-seeding fate as a win tomorrow at Gallaudet secures the tournament's second seed. York is now 18-6 overall and 10-5 in the conference.

The Spartans had an early lead but a 13-5 Seahawk run gave the hosts control of the game early. The Spartans cut the lead to a deuce at 19-17 with 7:11 left in the first but St. Mary's ripped off a 15-2 run that gave them a 34-19 advantage. The Seahawks took a 36-22 lead to the intermission.

The second half began with the Seahawks blowing the game wide open. St. Mary's increased the lead to 24 less than four minutes into the stanza. It wouldn't get much better for York the remainder of the contest. St. Mary's built their lead to as many as 27 before the Seahawks settled for the 19-point win.

Four Seahawks reached double figures led by Sam Burum with 18 points in addition to pulling down eight rebounds. Burum was 9-for-14 from the field in the win. Brian Grashof and Alex Franz each recorded a double-double for St. Mary's. Grashof tallied 17 points while he pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Franz had 10 points and a game-high 12 assists. The junior guard also had five rebounds and four steals. Camontae Griffin was the fourth Hawk in double figures with 14 points, four assists, and four rebounds.

Junior Kevin Whaley (Dover, Pa./Dover) led York with a game-high 19 points as he continues to play well for York. Whaley was 8-for-11 from the field including 1-for-2 from three. He also converted both free throw attempts in addition to recording three assists and three steals. Senior Nick Brady (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) added 14 points and nine rebounds while Paul Kouvaris (Baltimore, Md./Cardinal Gibbons) tallied eight points and pulled in nine boards.

St. Mary's shot 48% from the floor but just 18.8% from three. The Seahawks struggled from the free throw line making just 7-of-14 attempts. York shot a chilly 36.4% from the floor, 33.3% from three, and a cold 58.6% from the stripe.

The Seahawks manhandled York in the interior as they had a whopping 58-12 margin in points in the paint. The Seahawks out-rebounded York 49-34 had a 15-3 edge in second-chance points.

York can earn a first-round tournament bye with a victory over a game Gallaudet University Bison squad. However, it won't be easy as the Bison will be playing their final CAC ever. Gallaudet is leaving the CAC after this academic year. Tip time in the regular season finale is slated for 2:00 pm at the GU Field House in Washington, D.C.

Kevin Whaley photo courtesy of Mike Zortman.