BANGOR, Maine — Husson University played at Lyndon State’s preferred more deliberate pace during the first half of Friday night’s game.
Ultimately, the diverse Eagles tightened up their defense and were able to impose their will at the offensive end in the second half to earn a 77-65 North Atlantic Conference men’s basketball victory at raucous Newman Gymnasium.
Coach Warren Caruso’s Eagles (16-4, 12-1 NAC) scored 24 points in the first nine minutes after intermission and shot 52 percent from the floor in the half to manufacture a 22-point advantage.
“It had sort of the grind feel. That’s the way they like to play,” Caruso said of the Hornets (7-12, 5-8 NAC), who led most of the first half.
“We just felt like we couldn’t get the ball off the rim and transition as well as we’d like,” he said.
Husson began to turn the tide late in the first half when sophomore guard Mitch Worcester of Washburn drilled two 3-pointers and scored seven straight points amidst a 12-0 burst to end the half.
“Mitch hit two big 3’s in that stretch and that loosened us up a little bit,” Caruso said after senior Trevon Butler and junior Raheem Anderson had combined for only 11 points.
The Eagles started clicking offensively three minutes into the second half behind the inspired inside play of Hampden’s Tyler Norris. The junior forward scored on an offensive rebound, hit a 3 in transition and answered a driving hoop by Lyndon State’s Shaun Hill with an offensive board and bank-in shot that put the hosts up 42-33.
“He made some good energy plays for us early in the second half,” said Caruso, who pointed to his team’s ability to have different players perform well to keep the momentum going.
After another basket by Hill, Husson posted an 11-0 run. Zach Curran and Anderson each made two free throws, then Butler drove in for a scoop shot on a conventional three-point play. Darryl Wood then sandwiched a foul shot and a bucket off a spin move in the post around a Butler 3 to give Husson a 53-35 advantage with 11:50 to play.
“So much attention is drawn to me and Raheem, so other guys have a chance to step up,” said Butler, who scored for 15 of his game-high 20 points in the second half and made three steals.
“It’s the whole group. I just wanted to come out and pull this win off,” he added.
Norris finished with 11 points and six rebounds, Anderson tossed in 13 points with five rebounds, Wood posted 11 points and seven rebounds, Justin Martin grabbed nine rebounds and Worcester chipped in seven points and three steals.
“Rah and Tre have done their thing, but each time someone different, or everyone collectively, has given us some good things,” Caruso said.
Hill led Lyndon State with 14 points and eight rebounds and Ty Roane provided 13 points.