Box Score Augusta, ME. -- The Owls (7-3) got strong play from their entire team to take an 80-67 road victory at UMaine-Augusta (3-9) Monday evening.
Tied 27-27 at the end of the first half, the Owl attack started to hit on all cylinders in the second stanza, connecting on 60% of their shots. Brandon McGill (5 of 5) and Kevin Collins (3 of 3) were perfect from the field in the second half, each scoring 11 points to vault Presque Isle to its 7th win on the season.
Junior sharpshooter Chase Vicaire led the Owls, knocking down four of his 8 3-pointers to register 20 points for the game. Freshman Collins added 16 and sophomore McGill added 15 and 7 rebounds. Maurice Harris grabbed 9 rebounds and Vicaire helped the cause with 8 boards. Sophomore point man Nick Lenhard scored 9, had 3 rebounds and handed out 5 assists on the night.
"We played well and beat a very good Fisher team Sunday, it would have been natural to expect a letdown on the road today," noted head coach Mike Holmes. "But for a very young team, I believe some ideas clicked in our heads and we now see how our deliberate style of play can help us play good basketball."
The Owl fans are starting to see the results of the effective and "deliberate style of play" with several Owls ranking among the leaders in the Association of Division III Independents. McGill, Harris and Vicaire are all currently ranking in the AD3I top ten in rebounding. Vicaire is leading the Association in 3point field goal percentage at 50.8%, while he and teammate McGill are also in AD3I top 5 in total field goal percentage. Collins and Lenhard are ranked 7th and 8th respectively in the Association in assists per game. Freshman Sam Smith ranks third in AD3I in 3point field goal percentage, hitting on 44% of his attempts.
Brandon Rogers was high man for the Moose, scoring 22 points and adding 12 rebounds. The Owls held Keith Chesley, one of the top scorers in the USCAA to 15 points. Chesley had 23 against the Owls in their first game of the season.
The Owls will next travel to Thomas College on Saturday, December 13th. The men's game will start at 3pm, preceded by a UMPI-Thomas women's matchup beginning at 1pm.
