Holt Scores Team High 11 as MMA falls 66-41

The Mariners held the Nor'Easters to a program history best 66-points, but fell in their season opener 66-41 in the Ramada Roundball Invitational on Saturday (Nov. 15) at the Harold Alfond Forum.

Nick Holt (Ellsworth, Maine) scored a team-high 11 points off the bench to lead the Mariners, while Brian Goda (Portsmouth, N.H.) picked up a career and game-high 15 rebounds.

Maine Maritime used a Goda jump shot to close UNE's early lead to 7-6, but the Nor'Easters added eight unanswered points before the Mariners could respond and the hosts closed out the first half with a 27-14 lead.

Holt's three-point jumper closed the UNE lead to 40-29 with 10:38 remaining in the second half, but once again the Nor'Easters went on an eight-point stretch to extend their lead 48-29 and went on to claim the 66-41 victory.

Sophomore Jean-Luc Parker led all scorers with 15 points to pace the Nor'easters. Junior Devin Thompson contributed all his 12 points in the second half while adding 11 rebounds, seven assists and six steals. Sam Thomas scored a career-high 12 points on 6-for-11 shooting to go with six boards.

Junior Zachary Radcliffe (Rumford, Maine) added seven points off the bench, while sophomore Dylan Stevens (Wells, Maine) picked up six points and six rebounds.

"I am pleased with our effort today on the glass and in the paint against perhaps the biggest team we will face all season," said Head Coach David Muchnick.

UNE (1-0) advances to the finals of its own event and will face Middlebury College tomorrow at 2 p.m. The Panthers defeated Mitchell College, 101-71, in Saturday's other first-round game. Maine Maritime (0-1) and Mitchell will square off in the day's first game at 12 p.m.

"We have another quality opponent tomorrow in Mitchell College, who is very athletic and exceptionally well-coached," added Muchnick, "We must execute better offensively to give ourselves an opportunity to win, and that starts with taking care of the basketball."

The last time the Mariners held the Nor'Easters to 70 points or less was in 1993 when they fell 70-57.

You can hear the Maine Maritime Men's Basketball Coach's Show with Coach David Muchnick and WDEA's Chris Popper every Wednesday online at www.wdea.am