Statistics
Highlights

BIDDEFORD, Maine – The University of New England men's basketball team trailed by double digits in the second half before coming within one possession during the final minute of Saturday afternoon's Conference of New England battle on Coach Beaudry's Court, but a last-second Nor'easter 3-pointer rimmed out as Nichols escaped with an 84-81 victory.
 
UNE's Jayden Thornton led all scorers with his season-high 24 points, hitting 4-of-7 from downtown. Nichols' Ryan Savoy was a close second in the scoring column with an efficient 23, having shot 7-for-11 from the field. Olivier St. Louis was another key performer for the Bison, finishing with 16 points. Henry Stewart put up 15 for the Nor'easters and knocked down 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, including a highlight-reel triple that beat the shot clock and ignited the home crowd.
 
UNE led by as much as seven in the first half and wound up taking a 36-33 lead into halftime despite the Bison shooting more than 10 percent better from the floor over the opening 20 minutes. Nichols' strong shooting continued, with the Bison hitting nearly 70 percent from the floor (16-of-23) in the second half to finish the game with a 56.9 clip (29-for-51).
 
A 13-1 run by the Bison midway through the second half handed the visitors a 60-49 lead, but UNE was able to hang around down the stretch, and Stewart's third 3-pointer of the afternoon with 2:43 remaining had the Nor'easters within four, 78-74. Thornton went to the charity stripe after a Nichols turnover and knocked down one of two attempts, bringing the hosts within one possession.
 
Javen Flowers-Smith's triple with just over a minute remaining, which put Nichols up 81-75, could've been the dagger, but UNE responded with scores from Jack Pyzynski and Stewart, and with the help of a missed free throw by the Bison, the Nor'easters had the chance to hit a game-tying 3-pointer as time expired.
 
UNE is in action inside the Harold Alfond Forum for the last time in the 2024-25 season on Wednesday, Feb. 19 to host Curry at 7:30 p.m.