PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle basketball teams will look for their first victories of the new year when SUNY-Canton comes to town for doubleheaders Friday and Saturday at Wieden Gymnasium.
The Owl men’s team, which enters play with a 6-7 record, plays Friday at 5:30 p.m., with the Owl women (5-7) following at 7:30 p.m.
On Saturday, the men play at 1 p.m. and the women at 3 p.m.
UMPI hosted Husson for doubleheaders Jan. 4 and 5 and the visiting Eagles picked up wins in all four meetings.
The Owls lost the men’s game Jan. 4 by a lopsided score of 113-68. Husson featured six players in double figures in points, led by Justin Martin’s 22. Shyquinn Dix tallied 24 and Quinn Mitchell, Te’Von Hines and Wilburn Griffiths added 10 apiece for UMPI.
The following afternoon, UMPI kept the game close and actually held a two-point lead with 13:54 remaining, but the Eagles took control late for an 81-68 triumph. Martin scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the winners, while Dix had 20 points and six boards and Luke Peterson 18 points and three steals for UMPI. Hines contributed 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds.
The UMPI women challenged Husson in the Jan. 4 game, trailing by only five at one point in the third quarter, before losing 67-48. Kenzie Worcester, the Washburn native who is the second-leading scorer on the career points list at Husson, led the way with 20 points and seven assists. The Owls’ Rhylee Wright posted 19 points and nine rebounds and Hunter Mercier hit four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points.
The Eagles put together a dominant performance on Jan. 5, going up 41-7 at halftime en route to the 89-30 win. Six players reach double digits in scoring, led by Vanessa Duarte with 12. For UMPI, Sara Mussleman and Kendra Silvers each had 10 points. Marissa Valdivia-Reagle led the Owls in rebounds with seven.
UMPI traveled to Waterville Tuesday, Jan. 8, for a game against Colby. The Owls went up 12-3 early before the Mules rallied for a 64-39 victory. Colby’s interior defense was stellar as the team blocked 14 shots. Keagan Dunbar was the Mules’ top scorer with 15 points and she also grabbed eight boards. Wright posted 11 points, 12 rebounds and three steals to lead the charge for UMPI.
