Box Score GRANTHAM, Pa.--Senior Curt Heinz recorded a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, and classmate Markus Ramirez scored a team-best 17 points, as the Maine Maritime Academy men's basketball team started the Cedric Gillette coaching era with a 59-51 victory over host Messiah in the second game of the Messiah University Springhill Suites Camp Hill Tip-Off at Jordan Court in Hitchcock Arena on Friday evening. It was the season opener for both teams.

The Mariners will play in the championship game at 3 p.m. Saturday against Mary Baldwin University, a 95-85 winner against Wilson College.

Maine Maritime Highlights

• Heinz made 7 of 11 field goals for 63.6 percent and dished a game-high four assists. He also blocked three shots and had two steals.
• Ramirez shot 50.0 percent (5-10) from the field on 5-for-8 from the perimeter.
• Junior Josiah Dancy chipped in eight points, four rebounds, three assists and a MMA-best three steals.

Messiah Highlights

• Avery Kopcha led all scorers with 21 points on 6 for 9 shooting, including 5 of 7 from three-point land, coming off the bench.
• Caleb Lyles (7 rebounds) and Ethan Johnson added 11 points each.
• Christian Jackson led all student-athletes with six steals and he led the team with three assists.

How it Happened

• With the score tied 42-42 in the second half, the Mariners outscored the Falcons 17-9 over the final 6 minutes and 28 seconds after Heinz put MMA ahead for good with a free throw.
• A Ramirez trey at the 2:29 mark gave MMA its largest lead of the game at 53-44.
• Maine Maritime was dominant on the glass, 40-26, and outscored Messiah 26-8 points in the paint.
• Messiah led 31-23 at halftime, but MMA began the second half on a 12-0 run over a 7:18 span to take its first lead (35-31) since early in the first half. A pair of Ramirez back-to-back 3balls keyed the rally.
• The Falcons enjoyed the largest lead of the night of 11 points at 31-20 with 1:40 to go in the first half.
• Messiah outscored MMA 24-18 off turnovers and had a more productive bench, 24-13.
• The game was tightly contested as it featured six ties and 18 lead changes in the first 30 minutes.

Inside the Boxscore

• This was the first-ever meeting between the programs.
• Messiah is a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth Division.
• Maine Maritime and Mary Baldwin also will be meeting for the first time.
• The Mariners, who have won their last three season openers overall, captured their first true road opening win since the 2019-20 campaign.