WATERVILLE, Maine --- Colby College's Mike Russell (Wellesley, Mass.) put on a rebounding display with 21 boards, but Thomas College held on for a wild 81-80 victory over the Mules in non-conference men's basketball Wednesday night at Wadsworth Gymnasium.
Russell had 19 points, 21 rebounds (15 defensive), two assists, two blocks, and two steals while playing 38 minutes. Russell had 27 points and 14 rebounds against Thomas last year in a 71-69 Colby victory. Russell was 8-for-11 from the field and had 21 of Colby's 41 rebounds.
Colby's Ben Foreman (Los Angeles, Calif.) was 5-for-7 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points and four assists. Donovan scored 17 points, while point guard Christian Van Loenen had a double-double with 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds.
Jarrad DeVaughn (Brockton, Mass.) scored a game-high 25 points for Thomas, which had a 15-point lead at halftime.
The Terriers (3-4) led 81-76 when Andrew Duncanson (Portland, Maine) nailed 1-of-2 free throws with 1:17 to play. Colby, though, battled back on a Mike Russell (Wellesley, Mass.) inside score with 1:06 to play. After a turnover by Thomas, the Mules' Kyle Donovan (Portland, Maine) hit two free throws to make it 81-80 with 47 seconds to play.
Thomas turned the ball over again with 34 seconds left, but Colby returned the favor with a turnover with 15 seconds to play. The Mules put on a full-court press and forced another turnover with 13 seconds to play. Colby had three shots during the final 13 seconds, but could not get a final shot to fall.
DeVaughn shot 8-for-13 from the field (4-for-7 from 3-point range) and added eight rebounds and four assists. Duncanson scored 14 points and pulled down seven rebounds, while Francisco Alicea (Foxboro, Mass.) finished with 11 points. Franklin Salvador (Somerville, Mass.) and Stanley Grenne Jr. (Dorchester, Mass.) both had nine points off the bench for the Terriers.
The Mules (4-4) shot 51 percent for the game, but hurt their own cause with 50 percent (15-for-30) free-throw shooting. The Terriers had just two turnovers in the first half in opening up a 51-36 halftime lead. Russell had 21 of Colby' 41 rebounds.
Colby plays at Bowdoin College on Saturday at 4 p.m. (new time start).
THOMAS 81, COLBY 80
THOMAS (3-4)
Jarrad DeVaughn 8-13 5-7 25; Andrew Duncanson 5-14 4-5 14; Francisco Alicea
5-10 0-2 11; Stanley Grenne Jr. 4-7 1-1 9; Franklin Salvador 3-6 0-0 9; Ryan
Newton 2-3 0-0 6; Marquis Pollard 1-1 2-2 4; Isiah Brathwaite 1-2 0-1 2; Rob
Nutter 0-3 1-2 1; Garen Manzo 0-1 0-0 0; Travis Dorsey 0-3 0-0 0. Totals
29-63 13-20 81.
COLBY (4-4)
Mike Russell 8-11 3-11 19; Kyle Donovan 6-11 4-6 17; Ben Foreman 5-8 0-0 15;
Christian Van Loenen 4-12 5-7 13; Eric Beaulieu 3-4 1-2 7; Forrest Lovett
2-5 0-0 5; Gordon Fischer 1-2 0-2 2; Uzoma Orchingwa 0-3 2-2 2; Gus David
0-0 0-0 0; Noah Atlas 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-57 15-30 80.
Thomas........................ 51 30 - 81
Colby......................... 36 44 - 80
3-point goals--Thomas 10-25 (Jarrad DeVaughn 4-7; Franklin Salvador 3-6;
Ryan Newton 2-3; Francisco Alicea 1-1; Isiah Brathwaite 0-1; Rob Nutter 0-1;
Garen Manzo 0-1; Stanley Grenne Jr. 0-2; Andrew Duncanson 0-3), Colby 7-18
(Ben Foreman 5-7; Forrest Lovett 1-4; Kyle Donovan 1-4; Eric Beaulieu 0-1;
Christian Van Loenen 0-2). Fouled out--Thomas-Travis Dorsey, Colby-None.
Rebounds--Thomas 35 (Jarrad DeVaughn 8), Colby 41 (Mike Russell 21).
Assists--Thomas 16 (Isiah Brathwaite 4; Jarrad DeVaughn 4), Colby 19
(Christian Van Loenen 10). Total fouls--Thomas 21, Colby 16. Technical
fouls--Thomas-None, Colby-None. A-450