Box Score

BANGOR, Maine -- Guard Steve Belmonte '09 (Levittown, N.Y.) made a 3-pointer with 1:07 remaining to give the University of New England the lead for good, and the Nor'easters advanced to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) New England Tournament championship game with a 77-72 win over host Husson College Saturday afternoon at Newman Gymnasium.

The eighth-seeded Nor'easters (15-11) will face No. 3 Newbury College, a 76-65 winner over Western Connecticut State University in Saturday's other semifinal.  Sunday's championship game will be played at Hellenic College in Brookline, Mass.  Tip time is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

After a pair of free throws by Brock Bradford '10 (Kenduskeag, Maine) put the Eagles up by two (72-70), Belmonte took a kick-out pass from Franco Foti '11 (Cross River, N.Y.) and drilled a clutch trey from the right corner.

Neither team would score again until Chas Rentrope '11 (Peoria, Ariz.) converted a breakaway lay-up with 18 seconds to play to give the Nor'easters a 75-72 advantage.

The Eagles committed a turnover on their next possession, then Johnnie Jefferson '09 (Dallas, Texas) pushed UNE's lead to four (76-72) when he made 1 of 2 free throws. 

Once again, Husson would turn the ball over and was forced to foul with five seconds on the clock.  Rentrope went to the line and made 1 of 2 to complete the scoring.

Isaac Stickney '08 (Rumford, Maine) posted a double-double for UNE, scoring 22 points on 11-for-15 shooting to go with 10 rebounds.  Jefferson finished with 15 points and six boards, and Simpson pitched in with 14 points (all after halftime), six rebounds, six assists and three steals.  Belmonte added 10 points and six assists.

Bradford buried five shots from beyond the arc on his way to a team-high 22 points for Husson.  Scott Kissinger '09 (Islip Terrace, N.Y.) chipped in 15 points, 17 rebounds, three blocked shots and three steals.

It appeared as if Husson would pull away midway through the second half when Bradford made consecutive 3-pointers to place the hosts up by five (55-50).  UNE would respond by reeling off seven straight points—five by Jaykyri Simpson '09 (East Cleburne, Texas), including a conventional three-point play to cap the spurt.  The lead would change hands six more times the rest of the way.

The Nor'easters shot 57.7 percent (15 of 26) from the field in the second half, compared to 38.7 percent (12 of 31) accuracy for the Eagles.

The contest featured 10 ties and 17 lead changes, with neither team leading by more than six points at any point.  More than half of Husson's 59 field goal attempts came from 3-point land.

UNE will be looking for the school's first-ever ECAC title in any sport when it takes on the Nighthawks tomorrow.  Newbury defeated No. 6 Johnson and Wales University in the quarterfinals, while the Nor'easters shocked top-seeded Emerson College.

Husson concludes its season with a 18-11 record.

(posted March 8, 2008 | 18:42 ET)