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