Strong Second Half Leads NHTI Past SMCC, 80-62

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (NHTI) — The NHTI men's basketball team's second-half explosion led the Lynx to an 80-62 win over Southern Maine Community College in a Yankee Small College Conference matchup Thursday night.

After a see-saw battle in the first half that saw four lead changes and six ties NHTI took control of the second half and controlled the rest of the way. After a quick SeaWolves bucket to start the half the Lynx went a 12-2 run to pull out to a 45-34 lead four minutes into the half. NHTI freshman Deric Jackson (Salisbury, Md.) led all scorers with 21 points shooting 8-14 from the field and 5-8 from behind the arc. Sixteen of Jackson's points came in the second half. The Lynx led by as many as 20 late in the game to cruise to the victory despite being outrebounded 56-48.

J'Quavious Thurmond (Monticello, Ga.) added 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds for the Lynx.SMCC First-year Willie Brown (Willimantic, Conn.) led the SeaWolves with 16 points and added four assists and four steals. Junior Dylan Silvestri (Pelham, N.H.) finished with a d double-double tallying 10 points and 17 rebounds in front of the home crowd.

The Lynx remain unbeaten in YSCC play (7-0) and are 8-1 on the season. SMCC fall to 7-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play. NHTI heads home for a weekend tournament against YSCC foe Paul Smith's Saturday and Word of Life on Sunday. The SeaWolves head to Machias to take on in-state rival UMM Clippers Saturday.