CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball fell short in the final seconds against Castleton University on Saturday afternoon, 56-54 in North Atlantic Conference action inside of Smith Gymnasium.

The two teams exchanged the lead five times in the first half, until the Spartans scored eight-unanswered points to take a 27-17 lead at 6:54. Castleton scored back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 35-22 lead into the intermission.

The Mariners hit back-to-back jump shots to open up the second half, cutting Castleton's lead to 35-25. Brendan Newcomb (Holden, Maine) hit two threes to spark an eight-point run for the Mariners, tying the game with 11:16 to go. The Spartans scored five-straight to make it 46-41 with 9:21 remaining.

Newcomb hit another three to make it a two-point game at 9:03, but the Spartans answered with four-straight points to take a six-point advantage. The Mariners continued to fight, as Newcomb and Tyler Gilson (Thomaston, Maine) combined for 10 points to give the Mariners a 54-53 lead with 2:57 remaining.

The Spartans hit a pair from the line to go ahead 55-54 at 2:40. The two teams battled back and forth, and with seven seconds to go the Spartans picked up a steal and drew a foul. Rob Coloutti made one-of-two from the line to give Castleton a two-point lead. Dylan Price (Madison, Maine) pulled down the defensive rebound on the miss, but the Mariners came short on their try to tie the game, and the Spartans escaped with the victory.

Newcomb scored a game-high 18 points, while pulling down two boards and dishing out an assist. Tyler Thayer (Hermon, Maine) and Price each added nine points, Dylan Stevens (Wells, Maine) led the Mariners with eight rebounds, five defensive, and Gilson added eight points, five rebounds and a game-high three blocks.

Colutti tallied 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the Spartans, and Tyler Arsenault chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.

The Mariners fall to 3-13 on the season and 2-7 in the conference, while the Spartans improve to 6-11 overall and 5-5 in the NAC. Maine Maritime will hit the road to take on Colby-Sawyer on Friday, January 29 and New England College on Saturday, January 30.