UNIONTOWN, Pennsylvania — The Warren Wilson College Owls outscored the University of Maine-Machias Clippers by 13 in the second half to pull away for an 82-68 victory in a first-round game at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II men’s basketball tourney Thursday.
No. 4 Warren Wilson (18-13) advanced to Friday’s semifinal round while No. 5 UMM (14-11) will play a consolation-round game.
In a consolation game Thursday, No. 10 Central Maine Community College of Auburn defeated No. 9 UMaine-Presque Isle 91-73.
CMCC and UMPI each dropped first-round games Wednesday night when No. 7 Penn State Fayette, the tourney host, beat CMCC 93-81 and No. 8 St. Joseph’s College (Vt.) topped UMPI 75-71.
On Thursday, Steve Horton and Devin Davis each scored 16 points to lead Warren Wilson by the Clippers. Justin Gonyea and Tyler Triplett each added 10 points with Gonyea and Davis each grabbing six rebounds to help the Owls gain a 50-44 team advantage.
Ben Teer paced UMM with 24 points and three assists while Jorge Milo and Brandon Blakely each added 12 points while Milo also had eight rebounds. Ivory Sneed Jr. contributed nine points and 10 rebounds while Travonne Thompson chipped in with eight rebounds and nine rebounds.
In the consolation game, Pietro Badalassi notched a double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds to power CMCC by UMPI. Carrington Miller added 19 points, six rebounds and five assists for CMCC (22-10) and Rob Skinner chipped in with 16 points, five rebounds and three steals.
Kevin Collins paced UMPI (13-13) with 16 points, five rebounds and two assists. Chase Vicaire added 15 points and Derek Healy put in 10.
In a men’s Division II consolation game, the University of Maine-Machias beat the St. Joseph’s College (Vt.) 71-55.
On Wednesday night, Luke Williams poured in 33 points and Brandon Cunningham added 28 to help Penn State Fayette (21-9) hold off CMCC.
Miller scored 20 points to lead CMCC, Skinner added 19 and Badalassi put in 17. Badalassi also had 10 rebounds and Thomas Cedre added 13 points.
In the other first-round game, the Fighting Saints overcame a 19-point second-deficit to rally by UMPI.
After UMPI’s Brandon McGill hit a free throw to give the Owls a 70-67 lead with 1:59 left to play, St. Joseph’s scored eight points, capped by an Antonio Gordon 3-pointer, to take a five-point lead with 25 seconds left in the game and held off the Owls for the win.
Gordon paced St. Joseph’s with 29 points while Collins scored 25 to lead UMPI. McGill and Vicaire each recorded a double-double with McGill posting 13 points and 12 rebounds and Vicaire scoring 12 points and collecting 11 rebounds.
In the men’s consolation game, Jorge Milo poured in 29 points and had five rebounds and five assists to lead UMM (14-11). Brandon Blakely added 14 points and Travonne Thompson chipped in with 11 points and 15 rebounds.
Kareem Brown paced St. Joseph’s (20-10) with 17 points.