PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle basketball teams play plenty of road games throughout the course of a season, but this week the squads won’t be roaming too far away.
The Owl men host Maine Maritime Academy Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. and Thomas College on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. And on Sunday, UMPI hosts Berkeley College of New York for a 1 p.m. contest.
The UMPI women are also home to play MMA Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. and Thomas College Saturday, at 4 p.m.
Coach Dan Kane’s Owl men hold a 9-10 overall record following a weekend road sweep of Northern Vermont-Lyndon.
Wilburn Griffiths established career highs in points on Friday and rebounds on Saturday as UMPI swept Northern Vermont-Lyndon.
(Courtesy of UMPI Athletics)
On Jan. 25, Wilburn Griffiths established a career high in points with 25 to lead UMPI to a 94-75 victory. He went 11-for-14 from the foul line and pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds. Griffin Guerrette continued his strong freshman campaign by nailing four 3-point field goals and finishing with 17 points. Shyquinn Dix added 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Te’Von Hines added 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
The following afternoon, the host Hornets kept it much closer, but the Owls still prevailed, 78-68. Dix scored 28 points to lead the UMPI offense. He hit six 3-pointers, was 8-for-10 from the foul line, grabbed five rebounds and dished out five assists. Griffiths added 10 points and a career-best 16 rebounds. Guerrette netted 18 points and Quinn Mitchell added 11 points and nine rebounds.
The UMPI women, coached by Gavin Kane, are currently 6-13 and have lost nine of their last 10 games. In their most recent games, the Owls fell in road matches to Northern Vermont-Lyndon by margins of 27 points on Jan. 25 and by 16 points on Jan. 26.
In the 76-49 loss on the first night, the Hornets jumped out to a 22-8 lead after the first quarter and UMPI was unable to recover. Marissa Valdivia-Reagle had 12 points, six rebounds and five assists to pace the Owls. Laura Aroz and Emmy Churchill each added eight points and four rebounds. Kendra Silvers grabbed a game-high eight rebounds.
The second meeting was more competitive as the Owls trailed by only eight points heading into the final quarter. Northern Vermont-Lyndon was too much down the stretch and claimed the 54-38 triumph. For UMPI, Rhylee Wright totaled 15 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. Valdivia-Reagle added eight points and seven rebounds and Silvers contributed eight points.
