Husson University and the University of Maine-Farmington men’s and women’s basketball teams finished off their two game North Atlantic Conference weekend against one another on Saturday afternoon at Dearborn Court in Farmington. The Eagles teams were looking for a 4-0 weekend after a doubleheader sweep on Friday in Bangor.
In the men’s game, Justice Kendall led four players in double figures with a game high 20 points as the Husson Eagles took the weekend sweep with a 73-67 win.
Husson (7-7, 4-1 North Atlantic Conference) led early by as many as five on a couple of occasions. UMaine-Farmington, trailing 17-15 halfway though the first half, took their first lead of the day and was their largest of the game with an 11-0 run to make it 26-17 Beavers finished off with a Drew Storey layup with 8:38 to go. A last second three-pointer just before the buzzer by Kendall would cut the Eagles deficit to 32-30 at halftime. After the teams went back and forth and exchanged the lead six times over the first 5:30 of the second half, Kendall put the guests ahead for good 47-44 with a three-pointer with 13:52 left. Husson extended to their largest lead of 10 in the closing seconds on a pair of free throws by Justin Thompson. Kendall added four rebounds, three assists, and five steals to his point total in the win. Thompson added 16 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals. DJ Bussey contributed 13 points and six rebounds, while Jared Balser scored 10 points off the bench. Storey led UMF in the loss with 16 points. The Beavers fall to 6-5, 2-2 in the NAC and once again played without leading scorer Terion Moss.
In the women’s game Husson finished off the weekend sweep getting a game high 27 points from Bailey Donovan in holding on for a 71-61 win.
The Eagles led the entire first half by as many as nine on a Donovan layup in the second quarter. The Beavers got a three-pointer from McKenna Brodeur, and she also hit a two point jumper as the hosts scored the final five points before the half to cut it to 31-30 at the break. Molly Folsom gave UMF their only lead of the game 33-31 with a three-pointer 1:43 into the third quarter. Husson never trailed again when Donovan restored a two point lead with a layup 1:44 later. The guests would increase that lead to 44-36, before a 9-1 run by the Beavers tied it 45-45. Sophia McVicar hit a last second layup for a two point Eagles edge headed to the fourth. After Brodeur tied it 52-52 with a three-pointer with 7:06 left, Trinity Montigny nailed a three just 21 seconds later and Husson outscored the UMF 16-9 the rest of the way to stay unbeaten in conference play. Donovan added 15 rebounds to her point total in the victory. Makaelyn Porter had 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Megan Peach also got into double figures with 14 points and eight rebounds. The Eagles who have won four games in a row are now 8-4, 6-0 in the NAC. Brodeur led UMaine-Farmington with 20 points, five rebounds, and three assists. The Beavers fall to 6-6, 1-3 in conference.
The Husson men’s and women’s teams now return back to Bangor for a Tuesday evening NAC doubleheader against Maine Maritime Academy. The men’s game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff time, with the women’s game to follow.
