CASTLETON, Vt. – Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball fell to Castleton University on Friday evening, 67-63, in North Atlantic Conference action.

The Mariners fought back from an early 12-2 deficit, tying things up at 30-30 with 4:30 to go in the first half. The Spartans scored five-straight to take a 33-30 lead into the intermission.

Eight-straight points from Brendan Newcomb (Holden, Maine) gave the Mariners a five-point lead with 12:37 to go, but the Spartans remained within striking distance, as the two teams swapped the lead back-and-forth in the final 10 minutes of the game. Castleton's Edmund Fitzgerald made a jump shot to spark a six-point run, giving the Spartans a 62-58 lead with 36 seconds remaining, but Zachary Radcliffe (Rumford, Maine) grabbed a basket for the Mariners to close the gap to just two points.

Despite a last-second layup from Newcomb, the Spartans were sharp from the line in the closing seconds, going 5-of-6, to claim the conference victory.

Newcomb led the Mariners with a game-high 22 points and five rebounds, while Radcliffe added 10 points, four assists, three steals and a rebound and Adam Richardson (Bradley, Maine) pulled down a team-high nine rebounds, while also dishing out an assist.

Tondi Mushandu led the Spartans with 16 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks, while Pavin Parrish and Kyle Adams scored 11 points each, and Fitzgerald added 10 points off the bench.

The Mariners fall to 4-18 on the season, and 3-12 in the conference, while the Spartans improve to 9-13 overall and 8-7 in the NAC. Maine Maritime returns to action tomorrow at 3:00 p.m., against Green Mountain College.