FARMINGTON, ME - Saint Joe's Noah LaRoche (Windham, ME)
converted three key free throws in the final :30 to seal a 72-64
win over UMaine-Farmington in Dearborn Gym. LaRoche finished with a
game high 24 points.
The Beavers received a 21-point, eight-assist effort from senior
Travis Magnusson (Thomaston, ME,) but could not rally in the second
half, despite drawing close on several occasions.
A Matt St. John (Wayne, ME) lay-up with 9:24 left to play in the
opening half gave UMF a 21-14 lead, but Saint Joe's went on a 17-2
run, punctuated by a Marcus Alexander (Niceville, FL) dunk, to give
the Monks a 31-23 lead with :47 left to play.
Saint Joe's lead grew to 11 early in the second half, but a Travis
Carrier (Auburn, ME) basket cut the deficit to just two, 40-38 with
12:38 left to play. Saint Joe's once again put together a run,
extending the lead back to 10, 50-40, with 9:35 to play before the
Beavers drew to within one, 56-55, following a Magnusson lay-up at
the 4:32 mark. A 9-1 Saint Joe's run pushed the lead back to nine,
65-56, with 2:32 remaining although a steal and three-pointer from
Isaac Hutchinson (Oakland, ME) cut the lead to four, 68-64, before
the Monks sealed the game at the free throw line.
Chad Pulkkinen chipped in with 14 in the winning effort for Saint
Joe's (13-6).
The Monks take on the Univ. of New England Nor'Easters in a
doubleheader with the women's team on Thurs., Feb. 9 at 7:30 PM.
