CASTINE, Maine – Maine Maritime men's basketball fell to UMaine-Presque Isle, 81-61 Tuesday evening in a North Atlantic Conference (NAC) matchup.

How it Happened: After the Owls took a quick 4-2 lead, the Mariners went on an 8-0 run, sparked by Cameron Gerlach (Hendersonville, Tenn.) to make the score 10-4 with 14:15 left in the first half. The two teams continued to trade baskets for the remainder of the half. Curt Heinz (Stuttgart, Germany) ended the first half on a buzzer beater to make the score 32-29 in favor of the Owls.

The Mariners scored five quick points to start the second half with a three from Cameron Kingsbury (Port Clyde, Maine) and a layup by Heinz. The Owls answered with 11 straight points to make the score 48-37 with 13:19 left in the game. The Owls continued to pressure the Mariners, never letting them get within ten points for the rest of the game, claiming a 81-61 win over the Mariners.

Inside the Numbers: The Mariners were led by Heinz, who tallied a double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds, in addition to three blocks, one assist, and a steal. Gerlach added 19 points as well, with eight rebounds, one block, and one assist.

The Owls were led by Dany Harris with 21 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Gilbert Jean Mendez added 19 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

The Mariners shot 36.7% from the hardwood and 24% from three point land, while the Owls shot 45.6% from the floor and 43.5% from beyond the arc.

Up Next: The Mariners fall to 3-12 overall and 2-5 in conference, while the Owls improve to 9-9 overall and 4-4 in conference. Maine Maritime returns to action on Wednesday, February 2 at 5:30pm when they travel to Bangor to face Husson University.