BANGOR, Maine - The Husson men's basketball team (9-0) got off to a fast start in their final home game of the season and fought off multiple comeback attempts from Saint Joseph's College (2-3) for a 92-75 win.
The Eagles took control right from the opening minute, putting a 13-2 run on St. Joe's in the first four minutes of the game, with six of those points coming from Scott Lewis. After Ian Jennings made a three to pull the Monks within ten points, 26-16, with just under eleven minutes to play in the half, the Eagles began to pull away. Baskets by Jeremy Moronta and Isaac Varney, and four points each from Derek Collin and Cam Wood fueled a 13-6 run to put Husson up 39-22. Late in the half, after St. Joe's had cut Husson's edge to 44-31, the Eagles saw two driving layups from Justin Thompson and a pull-up jumper from DJ Bussey to extend the lead to 50-31, Husson's biggest lead of the first half. The Monks added three free throws before the Eagles took a 50-34 advantage into halftime.
St. Joe's fought back to start the second half, scoring the first seven points just two minutes in, to cut Husson's lead to 50-41. The Eagles answered with a 9-3 run of their own, led by five points from Bussey, to push the lead back to 59-44. The Monks would claw their way back for a second time in the half, pulling within eight at 65-57 with just under twelve minutes to play, but that would be the last time St. Joe's was within single digits for the rest of the night. The Eagles used free throws from Thompson and Wood, a jumper from Bussey, and four points from Moronta on a quick 10-2 run to push their advantage back to 76-59 with 6:49 left to play in the game. Lewis would pour in eight of the last sixteen points down the stretch for the Eagles, on the way to a 92-75 win in their final home contest of the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Lewis led Husson in points with 19, rebounds with 14, and assists with four. It was the first time this season that a player led the team in all three categories in a single game, and his third double-double of the season.
- Justice Kendall had 16 points, tying his season-high, on 6-for-12 shooting.
- Jack Casale, Nicholas Curtis and Griffin Foley each contributed 20 points for St. Joe's.
- The Eagles had a big advantage on the boards, out-rebounding the Monks, 48-26.
- Husson's bench also played a key role in the win, outscoring the Monks' bench 28-6.
UP NEXT!
The Eagles will close out the season against the Monks with the second game of the home-and-home series on Sunday, March 28th at 1:00 p.m. in Standish.
COURTESY OF HUSSON UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
