BIDDEFORD, Maine -- Daron Hoges, Jr. tallied a game-high 24 points as the University of New England men's basketball squad defeated St. Joseph's College (Brooklyn) by a 122-102 margin in the opening round of the Hampton Inn Tip-Off Tournament on Friday evening (Nov. 17) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

The Nor'easters (1-1) draw Colby College in Saturday's 3 p.m. title match, after the Mules topped Colby-Sawyer College, 72-60. The Bears (0-1) and Chargers will meet in the consolation contest at 1 p.m.

Hoges went 9-of-13 from the floor -- which included six treys -- and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds. Matt Hobbs hit four from deep to finish with 16 points. Ryan Matthews dropped in another 12 points, and Ryan Beatty contributed nine. Hoges, Hobbs, Matthews, and Beatty accounted for 16 of UNE's 30 made three-pointers, which came in 80 attempts.

For the game, the Nor'easters connected on 43-of-111 field goal tries. Big Blue posted 36 points off 33 SJC turnovers (24 UNE steals), and scored 29 after collecting an offensive rebound.

St. Joseph's received a combined 66 points from Dimitri Sirakis (23), Kavan Meiner (22), and Stephane Etheart (21). Stephane and his brother, Sebastien Etheart, shared the game-high of 12 rebounds, helping the visitors to a 64-51 advantage on the boards.

The Bears shot 45.8 percent (33-for-72) in the match, knocked down five triples, and went 31-of-51 at the line.

UNE led 36-32 during the opening frame before heading into halftime on a 23-11 run in the last 6:03 of the 1st. The Nor'easters drained seven from behind the arc in a span of five minutes, and then Drew Coveney capped things with a late layup. Coveney ended with seven points and game-highs of five assists and four steals.

The hosts started the 2nd just as strong, rattling off a 13-4 spurt over the initial 3:34 to go up 72-47. The margin crested at 31 (116-85) down the stretch.