CASTINE, Maine -- New England College had four players score in double-figures as the Pilgrims handed Maine Maritime a 69-62 setback in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) men's basketball on Saturday. The Pilgrims (3-8, 3-3 NAC) converted the Mariners' (2-9, 1-4) 24 turnovers into 22 points to secure the conference win.
Abdirahman Mohamed (Biddeford, Maine) scored a game-high 15 points and led New England College with six rebounds. Troy Prather (Claremont, Calif.) recorded 11 points, while Jeremiah Johnson (Huntsville, Utah) and Ryan Schmitz (Redding, Calif.) each dumped in 10.
The Mariners Ben Russell (Farmington, Maine) matched Mohamed's output with a 15 point, six assist effort. Andy Ball (Hermon, Maine) scored a dozen, while Brandon Theriualt (East Millinocket, Maine) posted 10 points and three blocks.
The first half saw the score tied three times and the lead change on six occasions, but the Pilgrims closed out the stanza on a 13-2 run. Maine Maritime went ahead by a pair when Bradley Reed (Belfast, Maine) drained a trey with 4:14 left in the opening stanza. Mohamed tied it up with a layup on the next possession to spark the run. NEC seized control for good on their following trip when Schmitz cashed in on the front end of a pair to make it 26-25 with 3:38 to play.
The Pilgrims took a 36-27 lead into the break. Mohamed accounted for six points in the late surge, while Johnson posted four.
NEC led by as many as 13 points in the second half, but the Mariners refused to go away quietly. MMA clawed its way back to a to a two possession game with 74 ticks thanks to a 9-3 run, but a Ball layup rimmed out and the Mariners never got any closer. The Pilgrims iced the game with a four-of-six effort at the line down the stretch.
Maine Maritime returns to action Tuesday evening against Maine-Farmington. The Pilgrims return to the hardwood on Thursday against Castleton State.
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE 69, MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY 62
NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE (3-8, 3-3)
Abdirahman Mohamed 6-12 2-2 15; Troy Prather 2-6 5-6 11; Robin Wilson 5-11 0-0 10; Ryan Schmitz 2-4 5-8 10; Jeremiah Johnson 1-4 6-6 8; Eric Eklund 2-10 3-3 7; Marino Moore 1-5 0-0 3; Spencer Marzouk 0-4 3-6 3; Jonathan Byrnes 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 20-57 24-31 69.
MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY (2-9, 1-4)
Benjamin Russell 5-10 3-4 15; Andy Ball 4-7 3-4 12; Brandon Theriault 3-10 2-2 10; Tyler Pineo 2-13 4-5 9; Shawn Dostie 4-4 0-1 8; Bradley Reed 2-5 0-0 6; Shawn Silva 1-2 0-0 2; Scott Alexander 0-0 0-0 0; Jason Hatch 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-51 12-16 62.
New England College........... 36 33 - 69
Maine Maritime Academy........ 27 35 - 62
3-point goals--New England College 5-19 (Troy Prather 2-4; Marino Moore 1-2; Ryan Schmitz 1-2; Abdirahman Mohamed 1-7; Spencer Marzouk 0-2; Jeremiah Johnson 0-2), Maine Maritime Academy 8-24 (Brandon Theriault 2-6; Bradley Reed 2-4; Benjamin Russell 2-5; Tyler Pineo 1-8; Andy Ball 1-1).
Fouled out--New England College-None, Maine Maritime Academy-Benjamin Russell; Andy Ball.
Rebounds--New England College 34 (Eric Eklund 6; Abdirahman Mohamed 6), Maine Maritime Academy 32 (Shawn Dostie 7).
Assists--New England College 6 (Ryan Schmitz 2; Troy Prather 2), Maine Maritime Academy 13 (Benjamin Russell 6).
Total fouls--New England College 13, Maine Maritime Academy 23.
Technical fouls--New England College-TEAM, Maine Maritime Academy-None.
A-59