CASTINE, Maine -- Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball cruised to an 82-64 win over New England College in North Atlantic Conference play on Friday night, inside of Smith Gymnasium.
The Mariners picked up just their second victory over the Pilgrims, in 11 meetings. Maine Maritime outshot the Pilgrims from the floor, 56.9 percent to 37 percent, ranking fourth all-time in program history for the best shooting percentage in a single-game.
The Pilgrims led by as much as 10 in the first half with 9:34 remaining, but the Mariners fought back, orchestrating a 16-5 run, highlighted by six points from both Brendan Newcomb (Holden, Maine) and Dylan Stevens (Wells, Maine) to take the one-point lead at 5:27. The two teams went back-and-forth before Tyler Thayer (Hermon, Maine) sunk a deep-three as time expired to send the Mariners into the break with a 44-40 lead.
Stevens led the Mariners with 12 points in the first half, while Tyler Gilson (Thomaston, Maine) added 10 points. Cj Capilets led the Pilgrims with 12 points.
Maine Maritime went on a nine-point run to open up the second half, taking a 53-40 lead with 15:23 remaining. At 10:57, Thayer sparked another nine-point run, contributing six of those points, to put the Mariners ahead 71-53. Maine Maritime grabbed their biggest lead of the game with 2:53 remaining, 80-58, following a Nick Judge(Cushing, Maine) free throw as the Mariners cruised to the 82-64 win.
Thayer led the Mariners with a game-high 19 points, while leading the team with seven assists, and pulling down five boards. Stevens ended the night with 18 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal, while Newcomb tallied 16 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal and Gilson added 15 points, a game-high nine rebounds, three blocks and two assists.
Dezron Wilson led the Pilgrims with 18 points, seven assists and three rebounds, while Frantzy Georges added 14 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block and Capilets ended the evening with 12 points, two rebounds and an assist. Ricky Leonard rounded out the players for NEC in double digits, while dishing out three rebounds and three steals.
The Mariners improve to 3-4 on the season, and 2-1 in the NAC, while the Pilgrims fall to 3-5, 1-2. Maine Maritime hosts Colby-Sawyer College tomorrow at 3:00 pm, while New England College travels to take on Husson University.