GREENSBORO, N.C. – The University of Maine at Farmington men’s basketball team (0-2, 0-0) let a half time slip away as the Beavers fell, 71-63, to Virginia-Lynchburg in the Guilford Tournament on Sunday afternoon.
The game was back and forth until 11 minutes left in the opening half. With the Beavers holding a one-point lead, UMF exploded with a 23-5 run to close out the half. Senior captains Pet Sumner (Cramerton, N.C.) and Uriah Forest-Bulley (Turner Falls, Mass.) led with Beavers with eight points apiece in the opening frame.
UMF held a 38-19 advantage at halftime. The Beavers shot 11-of-27 from the floor, 4-of-9 from behind the arc, and 12-of-15 from the free throw line. The Beavers defense held Va.-Lynchburg to 6-of-24 shooting from the floor in the first half.
When the second half began, Forest-Bulley scored UMF’s first four points to give the Beavers a 42-19 lead. After a made three-pointer by Va.-Lynchburg, Pet Sumner answered back by hitting all three free throws after getting fouled on a three-point attempt.
Va.-Lynchburg got back in the game with 14 unanswered points, and dwindling the UMF lead to 47-36, with 13:29 left in the game. After six quick points by the Beavers, Lynchburg continued its pursuit to get back in the game, by constructing a 15-4 run to even the score at 54-54 with 6:37 remaining.
VAL did not take its foot off the gas pedal as Lynchburg continued to ride the momentum and did not look back. VAL’s Traxonte Sawyer hit a clutch three-pointer to give Lynchburg the lead, which quickly increased to seven as the Beavers had to resort to fouling in the final minutes.
Va-Lynchburg secured the win by hitting 7 of 9 from the line in the final 1:14 of regulation. The Beavers finished the game hitting 19 of 57 while their counterparts, Va.-Lynchburg, finished 23 of 55 shooting.
Sumner led the Beavers with 15 points on 3 of 10 from the field, but 7 for 7 on free throws. Forest-Bulley added 13 points on 5 of 10 shooting and seven rebounds. Lychburg’s Adrian Saunders and Traxonte Sawyers scored a game high 16 points.
UMF returns to action on Monday, Nov. 24, as the Beavers travel to Saint Joseph’s College (Me.) at 7:30 p.m.
