BANGOR – Craig Dagan is constantly reminding his Maine Maritime Academy women’s basketball team that no matter how easy things might come on the offensive end, it is defense that will determine how far the Mariners go this season.

MMA of Castine demonstrated its offensive prowess Wednesday night but was a bit less consistent playing defense. As a result, the Mariners were forced to weather a late rally by Husson College before taking a 71-60 North Atlantic Conference victory at Newman Gym.

The Mariners’ trio of Shelley Gott, Julia Knights, and Alyssa Burns combined for 58 points as MMA (12-3, 6-1 NAC) earned its first-ever win at Husson.

“This was a long time coming, and any time we can go on the road in conference and get a win, it’s a good thing,” Dagan said.

In the men’s game, Husson used a strong defensive performance to post a 70-39 victory over MMA.

The MMA women caused problems with their full-court pressure in the first half and used a 14-3 run to end the half while taking command.

With the Mariners leading 24-22, Caitlyn Grant’s 3-pointer ignited their decisive spurt. Knights and Burns each scored five points during the 41/2-minute surge as MMA went on top 38-25.

“I think a lot of the stuff in the first half had to do with our defensive intensity on pressure, making them make turnovers, and converting on that,” Knights said.

“Husson always is a tough game, but it shouldn’t have been as close as it was,” she added.

Former Mount Desert Island standout Gott led MMA with 20 points and six rebounds, while Knights of Brookton (eight rebounds, five assists) and Dixfield’s Burns (six rebounds) tossed in 19 each.

The Mariners shot 53 percent from the field but only 52 percent from the foul line.

Jodie Merchant of Ellsworth paced Husson (5-11, 4-4 NAC) with 17 points while Jenny Rollins of Corinth netted 14. Annie McIntosh added 11 points and six rebounds.

The Mariners extended the lead to 48-27, opening the second half with a 10-2 run again sparked by the versatile play of Burns and Knights.

Kissy Walker’s Eagles, who tested MMA in a Dec. 6 game at Castine, again refused to quit.

Rollins was the offensive catalyst, scoring 10 points in the last 9:10, including back-to-back 3-pointers. Husson trimmed the deficit to 60-52 with 3:44 left with a 9-0 run that included four Merchant free throws and a Laura Archer 3-pointer.

However, a clutch 3-pointer by Gott at the 3:15 mark helped MMA keep the Eagles from getting any closer.

“We’re playing good basketball,” Dagan said, “but we have the potential to be great and we haven’t reached that potential yet, and that’s what we’re striving for.”

In the men’s game, the Eagles didn’t shoot well, especially from the perimeter, but coach Warren Caruso’s squad played stifling man-to-man defense while limiting MMA to 28 percent shooting.

Husson (9-8 overall, 6-0 NAC) won its fourth straight by letting its defense do the talking.

“The reason you talk about playing defense all the time is, sometimes the ball doesn’t go in the hole,” said Husson coach Warren Caruso. “I just felt like we weren’t relaxed offensively.”

The Eagles, who shot 37 percent, were able to pound the ball inside, take advantage of transition chances, and dominate the rebounding (50-34).

Senior Phil White headed a balanced effort for Husson with 15 points and nine rebounds. Tyler Muzzy of Greenville contributed 14 points, 12 rebounds, and four steals.

Buddy Leavitt of Guilford and Bangor’s Jordan Heath added nine points each.

“Defensively, I thought that was a pretty good 40 minutes for us where I think we made life difficult for them for what they wanted to do,” Caruso said.

Former Foxcroft Academy standout Brandon Hall led MMA (5-10, 2-4 NAC) with 14 points and six rebounds. Marc McCorrison of Knox added eight points and five rebounds.

The Eagles tightened up their defense about eight minutes into the contest and methodically began to pull away to a 37-21 halftime advantage.

MMA committed 11 first-half turnovers and the Eagles capitalized with some good offensive looks in transition.

Husson made its first move with a 9-0 scoring run that lasted 2:04. Muzzy scored four points to spark a spurt that gave the hosts a 24-15 lead with 9:38 to play in the half.

Hall ended a 41/2-minute scoring drought for the Mariners with a low-post move, but Heath drained two 3-pointers to fuel a 10-0 flurry that made it a 34-17 game with 4:11 left.

“That was one of our main focuses in practice this week, to pick up the ‘D,'” White said.

EAGLES 70, MARINERS 39

Maine Maritime (5-10) Husson (9-8)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG F AF TP

McCarley 2 5 0 0 4 Heath 3 6 0 0 9

Stewart 0 6 2 4 2 Muzzy 6 12 2 2 14

Dunlap 1 4 0 0 3 Harvey 2 9 3 4 7

McCrrson 2 6 4 4 8 White 6 8 3 3 15

Hall 5 11 4 8 14 Leavitt 3 8 1 1 9

Deabay 0 1 0 0 0 Figueroa 2 10 1 1 5

Yeo 0 2 0 0 0 Berry 0 0 0 0 0

Manner 1 4 0 0 2 Kissinger 2 7 2 2 6

Haskell 0 4 0 2 0 Lee 0 5 0 0 0

Oldham 3 7 0 0 6 Beaurgrd 0 1 0 0 0

Philbrick 1 3 0 2 2

Jennings 0 1 0 0 0

Henry 1 1 1 2 3

Totals 14 50 10 18 39 Totals 26 71 13 17 70

Maine Maritime 21 39

Husson 37 70

3-pt. goals – Maine Maritime (1-9): McCarley 0-1, Stewart 0-2, Dunlap 1-3, McCorrison 0-1, Manner 0-1, Haskell 0-1; Husson (5-28): Heath (3-6, Muzzy 0-5, Harvey 0-3, Leavitt 2-5, Figueroa 0-2, Kissinger 0-3, Lee 0-4

Attendance: 350 (est.)

MARINERS 71, EAGLES 60

Maine Maritime (12-3) Husson (5-11)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG F AF TP

Grant 2 3 0 1 6 Merchant 6 12 4 4 17

Marshall 1 6 0 0 2 Barden 0 3 2 4 2

Burns 7 8 4 6 19 Noyes 1 2 1 4 3

Gott 6 12 5 9 20 Rollins 4 6 4 6 14

Knights 8 13 2 5 19 McIntosh 5 10 1 2 11

Johnson 1 3 0 0 2 Ballard 1 5 4 8 7

Moore 0 0 0 0 0 Archer 2 3 0 0 5

Leeman 0 0 1 2 1 Dow 0 1 1 2 1

Robitaille 1 3 0 0 2 Hall 0 0 0 0 0

Hayden 0 1 0 0 0

Parker 0 0 0 0 0

Totals 26 49 12 23 71 Totals 19 42 17 30 60

Maine Maritime 38 71

Husson 25 60

3-pt. goals – Maine Maritime (7-16): Grant (2-2), Marshall (0-1), Burns (1-2), Gott (3-6), Knights (1-4), Johnson (0-1); Husson (5-16): Merchant (1-4), Barden (0-2), Rollins (2-4), Ballard (1-4), Archer (1-2)

Attendance: 200 est.