Box Score
Bangor, ME - Husson University defeated the University of Maine
at Fort Kent (UMFK) 81-75 to advance to the championship game of
the Paul Bunyan Invitational. Both teams were quick in
transition with numerous lead changes but Husson emerged
victorious. With the win, Husson improves to 3-2 and UMFK
falls to 3-4
Josh Jones (So., Jefferson, ME) got Husson on the scoreboard
quickly in the first half and the Bengals answered with a score of
their own. UMFK rallied to tie the score at 18 and Jimmy
Lopez (Jr., Fitchburg, MA) was fouled and made both his shots to
give the Bengals the lead. Lopez scored a 3 to bring the
score to 28-18. Husson's Marc Zaharchuk (Fy., Richmond, ME)
answered from the floor for two. A Jones three pointer
put Husson one point back from the Bengals at 25-26 and Matt
MacKenzie dropped a layup to briefly reclaim the lead at
27-26. The Bengals responded scoring back-to-back
three-pointers by Alan Campbell (Jr., Madawaska, ME) and Yair Gal
(Ashdod, Israel) to take the score to 31-34 Bengals. A
MacKenzie layup put Husson up 37-36 but UMFK's Gal hit a shot as
time expired on the clock to claim a 38-37 lead at the half.
MacKenzie opened up the second half with two points to reclaim
the lead for the Eagles at 39-38. A Jones shot upped
the score to 45-44. Jones was fouled making his shot and the
foul shot to give the Eagles a four point 48-44 lead and a run of 7
unanswered points for Husson. The Bengals' Gal hit a jumper
to bring the score to 52-46. UMFK went on a six point
unanswered run of their own to within four points of Husson's 54-50
lead.
Husson's CJ Hodges (Sr., Glen Mills, PA) hit a deep three
to bring the score to 73-61. A quick inside pass from Lopez
to Othniel Hyliger (Jr., Sandy Pt, St. Kitts) cut Husson's lead to
73-65. Lopez connected for 5 pints including a three-pointer
to make the game 73-67 and Alan Campbell (Jr., Madawaska, ME)
followed up with a trey of his own. UMFK immediately forced a
turnover and Manny Odugbela (So., Providence, RI) made one foul
shot to bring the Bengals within two points of Husson at 73-71 with
3 minutes left on the clock. After six unanswered UMFK
points, Husson's Jones hit a jumper to bring the Eagles' lead to
75-71. UMFK hit a big shot to cut the lead to 75-73 but a defensive
foul was called against the Bengals. Husson's Bradford made
both his shots bring to bring the score to 77-73
The Bengals battled back off a Gal jumper with 36 seconds left
on the clock making it a 2 point game. The Eagles' Bradford was
fouled making both. Bradford was fouled again with 17.7
seconds left on the clock missing his shot, but Jones scored on a
quick put-back to end the game at 81-75.
Husson's MacKenzie contributed 28 points, 9 rebounds shooting
16-22. Jones tallied a double-double with 20 total points and
14 rebounds. Bradford netted 14 total points and was 6-7 at
the free-throw line. UMFK's Lopez totaled 24 points and 8
rebounds on the losing effort, followed by Odugbela and Gal, each
with 11 points.
With the win, the Eagles improve to 3-2 and Coach Caruso comes
closer to his 300th with 297. UMFK falls to
3-4. UMFK will play in the consolation game against U. Maine
Machias at 1:00 PM on Saturday, December 5. Husson will face
Bates in the Paul Bunyan Championship game at 3:00 PM.
