FARMINGTON – Colby College men’s basketball team sank four free throws in the final 25 seconds to edge the University of Maine at Farmington 63-60 on Saturday afternoon in a non-conference match-up.
The Beavers fall to 2-7 on the season while the Mules evened its record at 5-5.
UMF sprinted out to the early lead in the first half, taking their largest lead six minutes into the game on an Amir Moss lay-up to go up 15-7. Eric Berry scored six points in the run for the Beavers.
Colby responded with an 11-3 run to tie the game at 18 with a little over six minutes in the half on a Joe Connelly lay-up. Sean Gilmore scored four points during that stretch. The Mules continued the hot shooting and opened up their largest lead of the game 25-18 with 3:55 left in the half. The Beavers responded by scoring the last six points of the first half and trailed 25-24 at the break.
The second half started with UMF grabbing the lead back on a Moss jump shot. The teams exchanged the lead five times in the first 10 minutes of the half and the score was tied on three different occasions. With six minutes to go, UMF led 52-45 on back to back baskets by Moss.
Colby battled back again to tie the game at 52 with four minutes left on baskets by Max Steiner, Sam Jefferson (3 pointer), and Connelly. After two more lead changes, Colby scored on a put back by Steven Daley to take a one-point lead with 53 seconds left. After a UMF timeout, Berry scored on a lay-up to give the Beavers its last lead of the game 60-59 with :28 left. After the inbound pass, Colby freshman Alex Doiron was fouled and calmly sank both free throws to give the Mules the lead for good. The Beavers turned the ball over on the next possession and fouled Patrick Stewart. Stewart connected on both free throws for the three-point lead. The Beavers missed on two 3-point shots in an attempt to tie the game.
UMF will travel to NAC rival Thomas College on Tuesday. Tip-off is set at 5:30 pm.
