FREDERICK, Md.--The Salisbury University Sea Gulls (11-13, 6-9 CAC) handed the Hood College men's basketball team (13-12, 8-8 CAC) just their second loss at the Odom Fitness Center, 57-52, in a key Capital Athletic Conference matchup Wednesday evening.

Hood had a chance to clinch a home playoff game with a victory, but after suffering their first loss at the Odom Fitness Center since Dec. 4, the Blazers slip to fifth place in the CAC.

Hood must now wait for the outcome of the contest between the fourth-place University of Mary Washington Eagles, a 104-88 winner over Stevenson, and the second-place Wesley College Wolverines Saturday to see if it will be the No. 4 or the No. 5 seed in the tournament.

A loss by Mary Washington would give the Eagles and Blazers identical 8-8 league marks, but by virtue of Hood's regular season sweep over UMW, the Blazers would win the tiebreaker and therefore host the Eagles Tuesday in the opening round of the playoffs. A UMW win would lock up the No. 4 spot for the Eagles and they would then host Hood Tuesday.

Hood led throughout the opening half against the Sea Gulls, who were fighting for the sixth and final spot in the playoffs, and took a 26-21 lead into the locker room. The Blazer lead swelled to 11 midway through the second half on a Herb Bowen three-ball. But the Sea Gulls clawed back and eventually tied things up on a trey by Eric Johnson to make it 45-45 with 6:29 to play.

The two teams traded baskets before the Sea Gulls assumed a lead they would not surrender on a jumper by Eric Johnson at the 4:41 mark. Tyler Snoots knotted the score once again on a two-handed jam with 3:30 remaining, but that would be the Blazers' final field goal of the night as the Sea Gulls hung on for the five-point win.

Snoots finished with a team-high 16 points and 10 rebounds for his 13th career double-double. Hood's leading scorer, Cameron Cook, connected on just 2-of-10 from distance and tallied 12 points on the night.

Johnson led all scorers with 19 for Salisbury.

Facing a bye this weekend, the Blazers' fate rests in the hands of the Eagles, who host the Wolverines Saturday at 4 p.m.