In a game that resembled a greyhound race more than it did a basketball game, Bruce MacGregor’s hounds flew out of the starting gate, caught and shredded the rabbit before the first turn, and never looked back Wednesday night.

The undefeated Husson College men ran their season record to 9-0 with an impressive 87-58 basketball victory over previously unbeaten Colby College at Newman Gymnasium in Bangor.

The victory was impressive in that the run-and-gun Husson Braves made the Mules – who also love the fast break – look like a team uncomfortable with the frenetic pace of the game.

“They just took us totally out of our game,” said Colby Coach Dick Whitmore, whose frustration was evident late in the first half when he threw a shoe at a chair after one of his players was fouled.

“We had trouble hitting our shots and they came out firing.”

Firing on all cylinders, that is.

Colby led in the entire game only once, 3-2, with only two minutes gone in the first half.

Husson shot 47 percent from the field in the first half and built up a 15-point lead at the half.

“I think we were fortunate they didn’t shoot as well tonight as they have this season,” said MacGregor. “But I think we had a little bit to do with that, also.”

Colby played an in-your-face style of man-to-man defense almost the entire game, not allowing Colby’s formidable 3-point shooters to get off any uncontested shots and forcing the Mules to turn the ball over.

“Coach told us to make sure we kept in front of them all the time, because we know they like to shoot threes,” said Raymond Alley.

Husson’s pressing style of defense seemed to wear Colby down, especially in the second half.

“I think that’s one of our strengths this year,” MacGregor explained. “We have so much depth, we use 10 men in our rotation. That’s unusual to be able to use that many.”

Leading Husson’s 10-pack in scoring was Alley, who scored a game-high 28 points – several of those coming on long-distance bombs.

“It helped that I hit my first few shots. When I’m on early, it really helps my confidence the rest of the game,” said Alley.

Former Rockland High School star Rich Mazurek scored 14 points and Obadiah Johnson added 12.

Also for the Braves, Kevin Moore grabbed 10 rebounds and Ed Gerald had nine. Bryan Jefferson made seven assists and four steals.

For 3-1 Colby of Waterville, Matt Gaudet led with 13 points and David Stephens had 12.

The game was marred by an incident early in the second half after several players from both sides, in trying to grab a rebound, became entangled under the Husson basket.

A few players exchanged shoves in the incident, which culminated in Colby junior guard Greg Walsh’s ejection.

“I’m not really sure what happened,” said MacGregor. “I think tempers flared in the heat of the moment after a few people got tangled up.”

“We told our kids to settle down because we didn’t want to lose anyone to stupid fouls, and things were fine from then on.”

Braves 87, Mules 58

Husson Colby

Name AG G AF F TP Name AG G AF F TP

Jefferson 5 0 2 1 1 Hebert 3 3 1 0 7

Tobin 1 0 0 0 0 Clark 8 0 0 0 0

Alley 23 10 4 4 28 Penney 1 0 0 0 0

Knowlton 7 3 0 0 8 Walsh 10 4 0 0 9

Johnson 7 5 4 2 12 Maines 0 0 0 0 0

Durost 0 0 0 0 0 Gaudet 8 3 4 4 13

Gerald 4 2 1 0 4 Black 4 1 2 1 3

Mazurek 16 6 4 2 14 Jabar 3 1 2 0 2

Alley 0 0 0 0 0 McLaughlin 1 1 2 1 3

Sinclair 5 3 0 0 6 Wolk 1 1 0 0 2

Watkins 5 3 2 1 7 McCrum 5 2 0 0 5

Moore 8 3 2 1 7 Bergeron 4 0 2 2 2

Stephens 11 4 3 3 12

Murray 2 0 0 0 0

Totals 81 35 19 11 87 Totals 61 20 16 11 58

Husson 48 87

Colby 33 58

3-pt. goals: Husson (6-17): Jefferson (0-1), Alley (4-9), Knowlton (2-4), Mazurek (0-1), Sinclair (0-2); Colby (7-19): Hebert (1-1), Clark (0-3), Walsh (1-5), Gaudet (3-3), McCrum (1-3), Bergeron (0-1), Stephens (1-3)