CASTINE, Maine — Maine Maritime Academy put together a strong showing and stayed within striking distance throughout falling 70-63 to the University of Maine at Farmington in a North Atlantic Conference men's basketball matchup Saturday afternoon at Smith Gymnasium.

Junior Jack Banks led Maine Maritime (6-10, 6-3 NAC) with a game-high 25 points, shooting efficiently from the floor while pulling down nine rebounds to anchor the Mariners' offense. Freshman Aaron Pensel added 13 points, and freshman Drew Hamilton chipped in nine points as Maine Maritime matched Farmington's physicality for much of the contest.

The Mariners trailed by just two points at halftime and continued to battle in the second half, trimming the deficit late as they looked to erase a multi-possession gap and Farmington (12-3, 9-0 NAC). Maine Maritime shot 41.1 percent from the field and kept pressure on the Beavers with balanced scoring and defensive intensity, but struggled to overcome Farmington's advantage on the glass.

Despite the loss, the Mariners showed resilience against one of the conference's top teams, competing deep into the second half before Farmington sealed the game at the free-throw line.

Maine Maritime returns to action Friday on the road at SUNY Cobleskill, with tipoff set for 5:30 p.m.