BANGOR, Maine – Saint Joseph's College (2–1) kept possession of the Alumni Cup for the second straight year on Saturday evening, powering past Husson University (1–1) by an 89–69 margin at Newman Gymnasium.
The Alumni Cup is presented annually to the winner of the Husson–St. Joe's matchup, and with the victory, the Monks improve to 5–3 in the rivalry series since its inception during the 2017–18 season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Monks seized control immediately and never relinquished the lead. Early scoring from freshman guard Davis Mann (Falmouth, Maine) and senior forward John Paul Frazier (York, Maine) set the tone as SJC surged ahead 12–3 and dictated pace throughout the half. Saint Joseph's attacked the paint, outscoring Husson 30–10 inside in the opening 20 minutes while building a 41–26 halftime lead.
The second half brought more of the same, as SJC stretched its lead to a game-high 23 points (64-41) with 12:04 remaining after Frazier connected on a three-point attempt. The Monks kept the Eagles at arm's length the rest of the way.
STATS OF THE GAME:
Saint Joseph's held a 47–39 rebounding edge, which fueled a 52–30 advantage in points in the paint. The Monks shot 60% (28–47) on two-point attempts, while neither team found much rhythm from long range: SJC hit 33.3% (7–21) from deep, and Husson connected at 19.2% (5–26).
LEADERS – SAINT JOSEPH'S:
- John Paul Frazier: 20 points, 7-9 FG (.778), 6 rebounds
- Wani Donato (Sr., Portland, Maine): 15 points, 7-10 FG (.700), 12 rebounds, 3 assists
- Davis Mann: 15 points, 7-11 FG (.636), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
- Remijo Wani (Jr., Portland, Maine): 15 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
- Tong Maiwen (Sr., Juba, South Sudan): 9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals
- Kolbyn Dunphe (Jr., Westbrook, Maine): 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists
LEADERS – HUSSON:
- Andre McCauley: 22 points, 7-10 FT, 4 rebounds
- Gil Matondo: 12 points, 9 rebounds
- Connor Heald: 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals
- Pierce Walston: 5 steals
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING:
With the win, Saint Joseph's improves to 40-54 in the history of the series with Husson University.
NEXT!
Saint Joseph's will play at Clark University on Tuesday at 7:00 PM.
