(PRESQUE ISLE, ME) -- Patrick Manifold (Sr./Great Yarmouth, UK) scored 31 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to lead the University of Maine-Presque Isle men's basketball team to an 81-65 home win over Fisher College.  

The phrase "familiarity breeds contempt" certainly applied Sunday afternoon as the two teams got physical in this, their third meeting of the season.  A total of 40 fouls were called and 54 free throws shot as the Owls won for the 2nd time over the Falcons.  Presque Isle improved to 10-12 while the NAIA Division II Falcons fell to 8-18.

The two teams traded buckets for nearly the game's first 10 minutes, with UMPI holding a 19-16 lead at the 9:42 mark.  That is when UMPI's "British Connection" helped open up some breathing room.  Manifold and his english countryman Michael Warner (Jr./Norwich, UK) combined to score the Owls next nine points, staking them to a 30-20 advantage.  That is a lead they would maintain the balance of the half, leading 34-25 at the break.

Fisher battled back in the 2nd half and at 13:49, a Kyle Murphy (Orlando, FL) jumper actually gave them the lead, 42-40.  Warner however, evened the game and then took the lead back with a jumper followed by a 3-point play.  

The game remained nip and tuck until Manifold and Warner once again teamed up to, this time, provide a knockout punch.  Up only 5, 65-60 with 4:47 remaining, the tandem scored the game's next 12 points.  By the time the Owls sent Falcon Ryan McCorkle (Bellevue, WA) to the free throw line with 1:10 remaining, they held a comfortable 77-60 lead.

Warner finished with 24 points, the 5th time this season he has scored over 20.

Claude "Shmoke" Louis (Jr./Union, NJ) had the best game of an Owl born west of the Atlantic, nearly pulling out a triple-double with his 10 point, 8 rebound, 8 assist performance.

McCorkle led the Falcons with 21 points.

Presque Isle will host their final home contest of the season when they welcome rival UMaine-Fort Kent this Thursday, February 7th at 7:30pm.  It will be Senior Night as the Owls will honor their three seniors in a pregame ceremony:  Manifold, Brad Trask (Sr./Easton, ME), and Gerardo Vasquez (Sr./Houston, TX). 

Game Notes

*  The Owls played and defeated Fisher, 61-59, back on December 1st, 2011, in the consolation game of the Colby Classic.  The Falcons got a win back on January 4th when they bested UMPI, 80-70, in Massachusetts.

*  Manifold was named the Bradley's Citgo and Carwash "Player of the Game."  The double-double was his 6th of the season.

*  With 3 games remaining, the Owls still have an opportunity to finish above .500 this season.  The team recorded only 3 wins in 2011-2012.

*  Warner has scored 20+ points in four of his last seven games.

*  The intensity of the game finally spilled over with 1:24 left in the game when the Falcons got hit with two technical fouls.  Warner went to the free throw line and hit 3 of the 4 freebies.

*  Manifold, a 57% free throw shooter this season, hit 11-14 (78%) on Sunday.