The scoreboard read 30-30 very early in the third quarter. Southern Lehigh, however, scored seven of the next nine points. The lead was just five for the Spartans, but it felt like much more for Salisbury.

That’s kind of how things have felt for much of the season for the Falcons. And that deficit only grew larger.

Southern Lehigh led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter and Salisbury never threatened the host Spartans the rest of the way. Seven turnovers in that frame helped the Spartans pull away for the 59-47 lead on Saturday afternoon.

“We get down five, and it feels like we’re down 20,” Salisbury head coach Jason Weaver said. “Because of a bad shot or a rushed shot, what was a five-point game is now eight. And then the same thing again, and it’s 15.”

The Spartans led by just a field goal at intermission. On two occasions, Salisbury was able to tie the game early in the third. But that’s when things started to fall apart.

Chris Andrews, who finished with a game-high 17 points, hit a three-pointer to push the Spartans’ lead to 35-31. Then, Trey Trevis found Liam Gaughan on a backdoor cut for an easy layup and Southern Lehigh’s first double-digit lead at 43-32 with under a minute to play.

To go along with those seven committed turnovers, Salisbury shot just 2-for-7 in that dismal third quarter.

“It’s a lack of court awareness,” Weaver said. “We talk about patience and mental toughness. You have to be more patient at times. You have to see the floor. If things don’t go well and we’re turning the ball over a couple of times or something like that, we have to have the mental toughness to get a good shot and good possession.”

Salisbury got within nine points in the fourth quarter, but that was quickly pushed back to double digits. Andrews scored four of 17 in that fourth quarter, as did Daryl Coleman, who finished with nine.

“We’re not a team that can just come down and execute on the fly,” Weaver said. “We have to have some patience to run our sets and get good looks. We don’t always do it, and this is the outcome.”

Neither team led by more than six points in the first half, and it was the Falcons holding that advantage at 25-19 after Tommy Sylvester nailed a deep three-pointer. But the Spartans would answer with a 9-1 run to end the half and retake a lead it would never relinquish.

Trevis nailed a three-pointer to make it a 25-24 deficit. Andrews then hit his second of the half to help the Spartans retake the lead moments later.

“We were aware of [Andrews],” Weaver said. “And then sometimes we leave our feet on him and get out of position, and guys don’t fight through screens.”

Quintin Stephens led Salisbury with nine points, while Sylvester and Quinn Warmkessel each scored eight.

Results from Tuesday’s game against Catasauqua were not available at time of press. The Falcons will host Moravian Academy on Saturday at 12:45 p.m.