Bangor, ME - In front of the Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2011 who were honored at halftime, the Husson University Men's Basketball Team defeated the visiting Mariners of Maine Maritime Academy by a score of 77-64. With the win the Eagles improve to 1-4 and start the North Atlantic Conference season with a 1-0 record. The Mariners fall to 1-4 and open NAC competition 0-1.

The Eagles were led by Marc Zaharchuk (Richmond, ME) who scored a team-high 18 points, but was just one of the four Eagles who scored in double figures. Brooks Spaulding (Fairfield, ME) potted 15, while guards Phil Leighton (Naples, ME) and Daeshawn McMorrin (Naugatuck, CT) each added 12 to the Husson cause. Collectively, the Eagles shot 46% from the floor and made half of their trifectas (7-14). Husson out rebounded their opponents 33-21 and made 73% of their free throws (22-30) compared to 66.6% by the visitors. 

Maine Maritime Academy was led by their inside-man Shawn Dostie (Bowdoinham, ME) who scored a game high 21 points and led all players on the floor with 8 boards. Mariner guards Tyler Pineo (Corinth, ME) and Benjamin Russell (Farmington, ME) each scored in double digits (17 and 12 respectively) but in the end it was not enough to hold off the Husson surge. 

Husson won the tip, but MMA would score first and led by as many as 13 points in the first half. With under a minute remaining, and the Mariners leading 30-23, Wes Murphy (Norwich, CT) stole an errant pass in mid-stride, and took it the length of the court and slammed it home with authority. After an MMA turnover, the Eagles rushed the ball up the court and found first year guard Aaron Willis (New York, NY) on the right wing who hit a dagger three pointer to bring Husson to within two at the break, 30-28.

In the second half, Spaulding made one of two free throws to bring Husson to within one, and a few posessions later, Leighton penetrated and laid it to give the Eagles their first lead of the game. The teams went back and forth, but the Mariners went cold, thanks in large part to strong defense from the Eagles on the perimeter, specifically from Willis who played a season-high 24 minutes in the game. Eventually Husson would pull away, and led by as many as 15, earning the victory 77-64.

The Eagles return to action next weekend when they make the trip to Vermont, stopping in Caslteon to take on the Spartans at 5:30 pm on Friday, and finishing up the swing on Saturday at 1:00 pm against Green Mountain. Maine Martime will make the same trip next weekend, but in reverse order, taking on the GMC Eagles at 5:30 on Friday, and visitin Castleton at 1:00 pm on Saturday.