FORT KENT, Maine – The Husson University overcame a slow start and saw seven players score nine points or more to pick up a win over the University of Maine at Fort Kent on Friday night by a score of 87-75 in non-conference action in Aroostook County.

Fort Kent (8-11) was able to get out to a quick start and forced a quick timeout from Husson (14-7) after jumping out to an 11-4 lead just over three minutes into the game.

The Bengals were able to maintain their edge for nearly the first 10 minutes of the game, before freshman Dylan Burpee knotted the game up at 19.

The Eagles answered that 19-19 score with an 11-4 run of their own to take a 30-23 lead with 6:33 remaining in the opening half, as Burpee and senior Riles Neff accounted for nine of the 11 points for Husson during the run.

Fort Kent scored 11 of the next 13 points to regain a two-point lead with two-and-a-half minutes left in the half, while the Eagles outscored the Bengals 6-3 to end the half to take a 38-37 lead into the locker room.

Neff and sophomore Tope Alao led the way for Husson in the first half with nine points each, while graduate student Jeremy Moronta added seven and Burpee contributed five.

The Eagles shot 44.4% from the floor as a team in the first half and limited the Bengals to just 36.8%, but Fort Kent dished out 11 assists in the opening 20 minutes, compared to just one for Husson.

Husson started out the second half on a 19-4 run to take a firm 16-point edge and would hang onto that double-digit lead until the Bengals went on a 10-2 run with the score at 68-52 to cut the lead down to eight with just over six minutes left.

The Eagles immediately answered with an 8-0 run of their own to regain their 16-point lead and would cruise for the remainder of the contest en route to their 14th win of the year.

Neff posted 18 to lead a balanced scoring attack for Husson, in addition to his nine rebounds and four assists.

Burpee scored a career-high 15 points on 7-8 shooting, while also grabbing five rebounds, while Moronta contributed a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double.

Alao and junior Ty Henke each posted 11, while graduate student Scott Lewis added 10 points and six rebounds.

The Eagles finished an even 50% from the floor and from beyond the arc for the game, while holding the Bengals to just 36.6% shooting and winning the rebounding battle 48-36.

Husson will look to pick up a big North Atlantic Conference win tomorrow against the University of Maine-Presque Isle, when the two teams meet at 3 p.m.