Soares Sets USCAA Record In Season Finale

UNIONTOWN, Pa. – The #5 Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) men's basketball team rounded out its 2016-17 season in a 103-84 loss to the #8 Vikings from Villa Maria College in a United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) consolation game on Friday, Mar. 3.

Captain John Morgan (Sanford, Maine) came to play in his final game wearing the SeaWolves uniform. The First-Team All-American poured in 24 points, firing an efficient 11-16 from the floor and exceeding the 500-point total this season.

The other bright spot for the SeaWolves was Chase Soares (Falmouth, Mass.) who broke the USCAA Division II (and Division I) tournament single-game assist record, tallying 14 dimes in his efforts. Sophomores Ryan Cloutier (Pelham, N.H.) notched 18 points and Dylan Silvestri (Pelham, N.H.) added 16, all in the second half.

SMCC jumped ahead in the opening minutes on a 7-0 run, but Villa Maria responded with a 13-4 run of its own. The SeaWolves found themselves in the hole 54-38 at the half, a deficit they were unable to overcome despite scoring 46 points in the second half.

Although the SeaWolves kept pace in both field goal percentage and three-point percentage, the Vikings were able to get to the free-throw line more double SMCC, making 24-29 from the charity stripe. SMCC out-rebounded and assisted on more baskets then its counterpart, but turned the ball over eight more times leading to the Vikings' 32 points off turnovers.

View the photo gallery of the game HERE.

The SeaWolves finish the season 23-8 overall.

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