WATERVILLE, Maine – The University of Maine at Farmington men's basketball team entered the halftime intermission trailing 41-39, but outscored Thomas College by 20 points in the second half to run away with a 91-73 victory in the second annual Meader Cup game.
The Meader Cup was created by the University of Maine at Farmington and Thomas College last year in honor of Dick Meader's dedication to the game of basketball and his lifetime of service to the athletic departments at UMF and Thomas. The Beavers defeated the Terriers 74-66 a year ago in the inaugural Meader Cup.
The Records:
Farmington came into the game desperately needing a win after starting the season 1-5. This game also marked the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) season opener for both teams. Thomas fell to 3-6 following the loss.
How It Happened:
The Beavers came out of the gate hot, connecting on their first three shots and opening up a quick 7-0 lead just 1 minute and 17 seconds into the game. Dylan Griffin (Saco, Maine) scored five of the seven points during the game-opening run for the Beavers.
Thomas quickly responded, rattling off 10 unanswered points, sparked by six from graduate transfer Camryn Yorke.
After the 10-0 run by the Terriers, Farmington countered with a 17-8 spurt to regain a seven-point advantage with eight minutes remaining in the opening half. Forwards Will Harriman (Biddeford, Maine) and Jason Reynolds (Winslow, Maine) combined for 13 points during the stretch for the Beavers.
Thomas battled back again, and a jumper from Jacob Bouchard in the closing seconds of the half gave the Terriers a two-point lead heading into halftime.
Back-to-back layups from Harriman and Griffin on the opening possessions of the second half flipped a two-point deficit into a two-point advantage for Farmington. However, the lead didn't last long, as a quick 6-0 run from Thomas pushed the Terriers' lead to four in the early minutes of the second half.
Luke Briggs drained a three-pointer from the top of the key to give Thomas a six-point lead with 15:30 left to play, their largest lead of the game.
The Terrier lead didn't last, as Farmington battled back, getting several good looks throughout the second half. Strong ball movement and player movement led to open shots and forced defensive breakdowns from Thomas.
Jordan Anthony (Farmington, Maine) drilled a three-pointer in front of the Farmington bench with just under 10 minutes to play, breaking a 60-60 tie and giving the Beavers the lead for good. Anthony's three sparked a 20-6 run, breaking the game wide open as Farmington coasted to its second win of the season.
Stats of the Game:
After giving up more than 100 points in two of their previous three games, the Beavers locked in defensively, forcing 21 turnovers, which they converted into 22 points. For the game, Farmington shot 46.8% (29-for-62) from the field, 40% (8-for-20) from beyond the arc, and 75.8% (25-of-33) from the free-throw line. Thomas shot 51.6% (16-for-31) from the floor in the first half but was held to just 38.5% (10-for-26) in the second half, finishing the game shooting 45.6%.
Leaders – Farmington:
- Reynolds had a huge game, finishing with his first double-double of the season, totaling 23 points and 11 rebounds. He shot 7-for-11 from the floor and 5-for-7 from beyond the arc.
- Harriman finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and three steals, shooting an efficient 7-for-11 from the field.
- Brock Flagg (Brewer, Maine) contributed 16 points, making a living at the free-throw line, shooting 10-for-12 from the stripe.
Leaders – Thomas:
- Briggs led four Terriers in double figures, finishing with 18 points, draining three triples, and grabbing five rebounds.
- Yorke finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
- Parker Desjardins added 11 points, while Jackson Ruelke chipped in with 10.
Up Next:
The Beavers will continue conference play on Saturday afternoon, hitting the road once again to take on Maine Maritime. Game time is set for 3:00 PM.
