PRESQUE ISLE, ME
The UMPI Men's basketball team entered Saturday afternoon riding an eight-game winning streak. The only thing standing in their way from staying in a tie for first place in the NAC East was another hot basketball team—the Maine Maritime Academy Mariners, riding a seven-game winning streak. It took an extra five minutes, but ultimately, the Mariners delivered in the clutch, handing UMPI a shocking loss in Wieden Gymnasium, their first of the season.
How it Happened
UMPI has made a living this season packing the first punch. This game was no exception as it began all Owls. They scored the first 11 points before MMA answered with five quick points. It was game on from there as UMPI clung to a slim lead before the Mariners made their biggest run yet to tie the game at 20 with under nine minutes in the half. The Owls then responded with another run to take a ten-point lead with under four minutes before MMA settled it to a seven-point Owl lead going into halftime at 38-31. Like the first half started, UMPI began the second half with a run as well. They played the first five minutes on a 14-4 run to take a stranglehold on the game, up by 17.
The only problem with that UMPI lead is that the Mariners signed up for 40 minutes—or in this contest's case, 45 minutes. The Mariners began to slowly chip away, thanks in large part to the off-the bench performance by Jack Banks who put up 26 points. The Mariners cut it to single digits with around 11 minutes left, and continued to cut into the UMPI advantage, and ultimately tied the game at 60 with a clutch three from Markus Ramirez with 3:45 left to play.
From there it was a brand-new ball game. UMPI scored the next four points however, and forced a turnover, giving them the ball with under two minutes to go and a two-possession lead. But a defensive stand by the Mariners, followed by a quick bucket, cut it back to two with 28 seconds left. UMPI was unable to make the front end of a one-in-one giving it back to the Mariners with 24 seconds left.
MMA took their time with the ball and trailing by two but were able to get it back in the hands of Jack Banks, who backed down his defender and put up a baby jump shot in the paint to tie the game at 64 with 4.1 seconds left. The Owls couldn't quite connect on the ensuing possession, sending the game to Overtime.
In Overtime, the Mariners who had seized momentum at the end of regulation, wouldn't give it back. Curt Heinz opened up the period with a three, to give them their first lead of the entire game. An and-1 made it a six-point Mariner lead as they silenced Wieden Gymnasium. UMPI made a push, cutting it to four points with the ball with under a minute but were unable to make a shot to really get them back in it. In the end, the Mariners iced the game at the line and completed their comeback victory with a score of 78-70.
Top Performers:
UMPI was led in scoring by Dwaine Williams with 16 points. Williams had four three-pointers on the day, and scored their last four points of regulation. Akhe McMichael had 14 and seven for the Owls while Myles Jones had nine. The Owls had a balanced scoring attack as Charlie Mellick added eight, while Gilbert Jean Mendez and Saquan Carswell each had seven.
Next Up:
UMPI falls to 15-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play. They will have a week of practice leading up to yet another huge NAC weekend against familiar foes U-Maine Farmington, and Husson University. They will host the UMF Beavers on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.
