BANGOR, Maine — The Husson University men's basketball team erupted for 69 second-half points and a career-high 26 points from senior Gil Matondo to pull away from Lesley University and earn a 113–96 North Atlantic Conference victory on Saturday afternoon at Newman Gymnasium.
Lesley (2-15, 2-9 NAC) set the tone early, shooting efficiently in the opening half and building a five-point lead at the break. The Lynx scored 49 first-half points, mixing strong perimeter shooting with transition baskets to stay in front. Husson (11-5, 10-1 NAC) answered with balanced scoring, led by Matondo and fellow senior Eric Ahlers in the paint, but went into halftime trailing 49–44 after a late three from junior Andre McCauley.
The game turned quickly after the break. Husson opened the second half with a surge on both ends of the floor, using defensive pressure to fuel transition offense and regain the lead less than three minutes in. A layup from sophomore Connor Heald capped an early run, and the Eagles continued to build momentum behind inside finishes and timely three-point shooting.
Midway through the half, Husson began to separate. Freshman Christian Smith knocked down a three and followed it with a thunderous fast-break dunk to extend the lead to nine. The Eagles pushed the advantage into double figures as their offense stayed relentless, shooting nearly 59 percent in the second half while continuing to force Lesley into tough possessions.
Down the stretch, Husson put the game out of reach with a flurry of three-pointers and strong work on the glass. The Eagles scored 43 bench points and consistently capitalized on second-chance opportunities, stretching the margin to as many as 24 before closing out the 17-point win.
Matondo led the way with a career-high 26 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, in addition to three blocks, while Ahlers added 22 points and 11 boards off the bench.
McCauley finished with 21 points, senior Ty Henke scored 16, and Smith chipped in 14 and a career-best nine rebounds, in addition to Heald dishing out a career-best 10 assists, as Husson improved to 10–1 in conference play.
Husson finished the afternoon shooting 49.5% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc, while holding a 57–38 rebounding advantage. The Eagles also scored 52 points in the paint and added 27 fast-break points, matching Lesley in transition but dominating in the three-second area.
The Eagles return to non-conference action on Tuesday, as they head to Colby College for a 7 p.m. contest.
