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BIDDEFORD, Maine – Despite seeing its second-half lead briefly disappear, Norwich University held off the University of New England men's basketball team, 81-75, in Sunday afternoon's season opener on Coach Beaudry's Court inside the Harold Alfond Forum.
The Cadets' 62-52 lead with 10:30 to go in the second half matched the largest of the game, but UNE (0-1) spent the next several minutes chipping away, eventually tying the game at 68-68 with a fastbreak bucket from
Justin Allen with under five remaining. Norwich (1-0) reclaimed the lead on the ensuing possession, and the Nor'easters eventually ran out of answers on the other end, despite a triple from
Bryce Guitard in the final minute that brought UNE within four, 77-73.
Jaelen Jackson was the game's high scorer, pacing the Nor'easters with 20 points.
Kha Cao Ra James, who was 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, followed with 15. Guitard and Allen had 13 and 11, respectively. James also added three blocks and four steals.
Norwich, with five scorers in double figures, was led by Paul Comba's 16. Iheririan Harrison had a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. Riley Severy had another double-double for the Cadets with 12 points and 12 boards.
With team shooting percentages fairly even across the board, the Cadets' 42-31 rebounding advantage proved to be a difference maker.
Norwich held a 10-point lead in the first half, going 7-for-15 from deep through the opening 20 minutes. That cooled down to 1-for-6 in the second half, when the Nor'easters turned it on to knock down six of their 14 3-point attempts. The 10-point first-half lead was wiped out by UNE's 18-6 run, and the score was tied, 33-33, by halftime.
The Nor'easters will host Southern Maine on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and next weekend holds the Jim Beaudry Classic, which will welcome Maine Maritime, Middlebury and MIT to the Harold Alfond Forum. UNE kicks off the two-day event on Saturday, Nov. 14 against MMA.
