AUGUSTA — Central Maine Community College played like a team with something to prove Wednesday night, although it’s still early in the season.

The Mustangs from Auburn just had too much depth and talent for the University of Maine at Augusta and pulled away early for a 93-59 Yankee Small College Conference win at the Augusta Civic Center.

The Mustangs got 27 points from freshman Susie French, who was a first-team all-state selection at Portsmouth HIgh School in Portsmouth, N.H. two years ago. Sophomore and Oak Hill graduate Maggie Sabine added 14 points and 20 rebounds for CMCC (5-2 overall, 2-0 YSCC).

“That was our statement game,” said Sabine, who joined the team in the second semester last season. “A lot of people were watching to see the scores posted and looking at their computers lately. We came out and did what we were supposed to do.”

UMA (2-2, 1-1) had trouble with CMCC’s full-court pressure and committed 36 turnovers. Guards Allyssa Marson and Arreonte Lee were both in foul trouble and were rarely on the floor at the same time.

“That’s our big thing,” Mustangs coach Anthony Morong said. “We don’t want to slow down at all. We spend a lot of time just getting into good condition.”

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Mt. Blue graduate Correine Dingley led the Moose with 18 points while Marson and Maegan Cloutier, both Cony graduates, scored 13 apiece, and Winslow’s Haley Madore hauled down a game-high 20 rebounds.

“I thought the girls played really hard,” UMA coach Jennifer Laney said. “They never gave up and they stayed positive and that’s all you can ask as a coach.”

Both Dingley and Madore played the entire 40 minutes while Marson and Lee (10 points) might have done the same if not for foul trouble. Lee picked up her third personal with just over nine minutes left in the first half and sat out. Marson picked up her fourth early in the second half and eventually fouled out with seven minutes left.

“We can’t afford foul trouble,” said Laney, who played just six players until the final minute.

French, a 5-foot-11 guard, displayed her all-around game with a variety of drives to the hoop as well as hitting three 3-pointers. She had help from South Portland’s Danielle McCusker (13 points), Fryeburg’s freshman Maggie McConkey (12) and Sabine.

“She’s really stepped it up as a leader,” Morong said of Sabine. “We try to get her the ball every time down and that’s not even enough.”

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Marson connected on three 3-pointers in the first half to keep the Moose relatively close while Dingley and Cloutier worked hard inside. But it wasn’t enough to offset CMCC’s depth and defensive pressure. The Mustangs led 52-32 at the half and were never threatened after that.

Gary Hawkins — 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

 


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