PRESQUE ISLE, ME
Earlier in the year, the UMPI men travelled down to take on UMaine Farmington for a first semester NAC matchup. The Beavers led almost the entire way, until a late game surge brought UMPI back in it and they closed it out down the stretch. It would be déjà vu all over again for this Friday night's game. The Beavers controlled from the jump, and looked as though they would come away with the victory and force a season series split. Enter Akhe McMichael, and a whole lot of fight from the Owls to claw their way back in it and force overtime. UMPI would go on to pick up the huge conference victory in the extra frame.
How it Happened:
Like previously stated, the Beavers pretty much controlled the game from the very start. After three minutes it was 10-6 Beavers. UMPI would tie the game at 16 apiece, before UMF would slowly start to open the game up. They grew their lead up to nine points after the first half as they out-shot UMPI 57% to 41%.
In the second half it was more of the same. UMF stayed in control and seemed to take a stranglehold on the game after Simon Chadbourne buried his fourth triple of the game, and put UMF up by 13 points with 13:47 left to play.
That's when the Owls began to go to work. Playing from behind is a place this UMPI team had only been a handful of times this season, but they were forced to at home in the biggest game of the season to date. By 11 minutes to go, they had cut it to four. But then the Beavers responded, growing it back to eight points with 8:30 to go. The game was in limbo for a while all the way until down under two minutes to go an and-one by Jordan Anthony put the beavers up by six points with a minute and a half.
UMPI had to get points and they had to do so in a hurry. And that is when they got it in the hands of their best scorer. Akhe McMichael took over the comeback duty and started by making back to back jumpers after a quick UMF turnover gave it back to them quickly. A free throw with just under a minute to go, gave Farmington a three-point lead, but then McMichael delivered with a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 79. Each team had a chance to win it but couldn't convert on any attempts. Giving the energetic and packed Wieden Gymnasium some free basketball.
In OT, UMPI was able to grab their first lead since it was 6-4 barely two minutes into the game. Myles Jones converted on a layup that ensured UMPI would play from ahead in the extra frame. Two big free-throws from Gilbert Jean Mendez, and it was a two possesion lead. Simon Chadborne had other plans, burrying his sixth three-pointer of the night to bring UMF back within one.
UMPI dug deep, and continued to shoot well in the clutch, as Akhe McMichael burried a jumper as the shot clock expired, followed by a massive three from Dwaine Williams. An immediate turnover from Farmington and it was pretty clear how this one would turn out.
UMPI burried some big free throws to ice the contest, and Farmington was unable to overcome the deficit. An unbelievable game that lasted nearly two hours saw the home team coming away victorious.
Top Performers:
The Owls were led in scoring by Akhe McMichael who had a career-high performance of 36 points. He shot 13-25 from the field, and also 6-12 from beyond the arc. His heroic effort was highlighted by the last minute of regulation in which he dropped seven points in a row to force overtime. Dwaine Williams also had another big night consisting of 15 points and three more threes. Myles Jones got to double figures with ten points over his 35 mintues on the floor. Saquan Carswell had eight points and 13 rebounds to lead UMPI in that category, while Charlie Mellick and James Yamashita combined for 14 points off the bench.
Next Up:
The Owls improve to 16-4, officially marking the highest win total in the Dan Kane era. They move to 8-2 in conference, and will duke it out for sole possesion of first place tomorrow when the Husson Eagles come to town. That game will begin at 3 p.m.
