Standish, ME - Colby College defeated Saint Joseph's College, 73-61, in the Maine Event Championship game this afternoon. Five players reached double digits for the Mules who improve to 7-3 overall while St. Joe's drops to 6-4.
FR Adam Choice (Newport, R.I.) opened the scoring with a three-pointer at 19:04 to put Colby up and the Mules would maintain the lead for the entire game. Three consecutive baskets by SR Nick Farrell (Aspen, CO) and Choice made it 12-3, but St. Joe's scored six quick points.
The Monks cut the lead to 1 with just over three minutes to play in the half after a jumper by FR Raymond Eatmon (Huntington, NY) and a free throw by SO Elbie Murphy (Loundonville, NY) but Colby held a 33-28 advantage going into the break.
St. Joe's struggled to find a rhythm to start the second stanza and Colby used a 13-3 run during the first five minutes to stretch the lead to 15. Baskets by SR Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) and GR Chad Pulkkinen (Windham, ME) made it 46-35. A jumper by Farrell at 11:25 put Colby up by 17, but the Monks continued to chip away.
SO Mitch Ouellet (Fort Kent, ME) cut the lead to seven at 6:35 and Colby responded with a basket by JR Mark Gaudet (Bingham, ME). Eatmon scored to make it 59-52, but that would be as close as St. Joe's would get.
Colby outscored the Monks 14-9 during the final 2:30 with Pulkkinen scoring seven of the nine SJC points.
The Mules were led by Farrell (18 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds), SR Drew Cohen (Briarcliff Manor, NY) (14 points, 6 rebounds) and Choice (12 points, 7 rebounds). Gaudet and SR Michael Westbrooks (Dublin, Ireland) scored 10 points apiece.
Four Monks recorded double figures, Pulkkinen (18), Eatmon (12), Murphy (11) and Alexander (11).
Consolation Game
Husson 77, Southern Maine 73
Husson College used a 43-point second half to hold off Southern Maine and take the consolation game of the Maine Event Tournament today. The Eagles improve to 8-2 overall while USM stands at 4-7.
The teams battled back and forth in a first half which included five lead changes. A jumper by JR Sheraud Lee (Bridgeport, CT) gave Husson an 18-11 advantage at 9:58 but the Huskies tied the game after a pair of free throws by SO Charlie O'Neill (Seymour, CT) and five points by JR Drew Coppenrath (Barnet, VT).
USM took a 23-18 lead at 6:53 after a 12-0 run, but the teams went into half-time deadlocked, 34-34.
Husson took control in the second half, connecting on 15 of 24 shots (62.5%) and outscoring the Huskies 43-39. Southern Maine closed the gap to 65-64 at 5:07 on a three-pointer by O'Neill but the Eagles recorded 10 points in the final five minutes to secure the win.
SR Tyler Muzzy (Greenville, ME) scored a game-high 24 points and FR Martin Cleveland (Portland, ME) had 19 points for Husson. The Huskies were led by JR Josh Daniels (Everett, WA) with 17 points and Coppenrath and O'Neill had 14 points apiece.
The Maine Event All-Tournament Team
MVP-Nick Farrell Colby
Adam Choice Colby
Chad Pulkkinen SJC
Martin Cleveland Husson
Drew Coppenrath USM
