BANGOR, Maine — The University of Maine at Farmington men's basketball team struggled offensively while Husson University repeatedly found good looks, as the Eagles earned an 85-60 victory in North Atlantic Conference (NAC) play on Saturday afternoon.

The Records:

The Beavers dropped to 10-9 overall and 7-2 in NAC play following the tough loss. The Eagles improved to 13-7 overall and 8-1 in conference play with the win.

How It Happened:

Farmington could not find any offensive rhythm, finishing with their lowest shooting percentage of the season at 36.5% from the floor and just 21.4% from beyond the arc.

In a crucial NAC matchup between two championship contenders, it was the Eagles who struck first. Husson opened the game with a 16-3 run, energizing the home crowd. Hamza Abdulrahman and Jeremy Moronta hit back-to-back threes to cap the run for the Eagles.

Farmington responded with a 7-0 run to pull within six points. Freshman Zach McLaughlin scored five of those seven to bring the Beavers back into the game.

Later in the half, senior Simon Chadbourne (Portland, Maine) hit one of his three three-pointers to once again pull the Beavers within six at 24-18. However, that was the closest Farmington would get, as they continued to struggle with their shooting. The Beavers shot just 28.57% from the floor in the first half, including 25% from deep. Meanwhile, Husson capitalized on open looks, shooting 54.55% from the field and opening up a 13-point lead at the break.

The second half saw the Beavers' struggles persist, as they could never recover from the deficit. Husson maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half, with Farmington unable to get the margin under 20.

Riles Neff was a key contributor for the Eagles, hitting three three-pointers in the first 7:15 of the second half to push the lead to 59-43. Neff finished the half with 13 points, leading Husson to a crucial NAC victory.

Stats of the Game:

Despite the disparity in shooting percentages, other stats were relatively even. Husson held advantages in rebounds (40-33) and won the turnover battle (11-9).

Leaders - Farmington:

• Zach McLaughlin led the Beavers with a team-high 14 points, shooting 6-for-15 from the floor in 22 minutes off the bench.
• Simon Chadbourne finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, shooting 3-of-8 from beyond the arc.
• Dylan Griffin (Saco, Maine) added 12 points, four rebounds, and two blocks, shooting 5-of-11 from the field.
• Jason Reynolds (Winslow, Maine) contributed 10 points and seven rebounds.

Leaders - Husson:

• Tope Alao came off the bench to score a game-high 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting. Alao also grabbed five rebounds and recorded two steals.
• Riles Neff finished with 17 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the floor, while adding four assists and two rebounds.
• Connor Heald also scored 17 points, shooting 7-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
• Jeremy Moronta recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

UP NEXT:

Farmington will look to get back on track next Friday in another critical NAC contest on the road against UMPI. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.