BIDDEFORD, Maine - November 13, 2015 - The Colby-Sawyer men's basketball team earned an 81-72 victory at the University of New England in a season opener at the Ramada Roundball Invitational.

The Chargers will play Saint Joseph's College of Maine on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the tournament championship game. The Monks defeated Hunter 88-81 in Friday's other game. 

Colby-Sawyer (1-0) used runs of 8-0 and 10-0 during the closing period to erase a nine-point halftime deficit. Wol Majong and Peter Donato powered the surge with a total of 30 points in the frame on 11-of-18 shooting from the floor.

The visitors scored 10 unanswered to go up 70-62 with 6:20 left. The Nor'easters (0-1) got right back within two (70-68), but lost steam down the stretch.

Cam Meservey added 11 points for the winners -- all in the 1st half. Milani Hicks ended with nine points and nine rebounds in his Chargers debut, while Taylor Grande finished with eight points to go with a career and game-high 12 boards. On top of his 22 points, Donato pulled in 11 rebounds for Colby-Sawyer, which posted a 52-26 advantage on the glass.

UNE received a team-best 22 points out of Devin Thompson, and 17 more from Jean-Luc Parker. Gavin Dibble added 10 off the bench. Drew Coveney tallied seven points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

No lead in the game reached double digits. Back-to-back treys by Meservey put the visitor up 9-2 in the early-going, before a 14-0 run by the Nor'easters turned things around. After seeing the lead trimmed to one (18-17), Big Blue responded with eight straight to assume a nine-point cushion.

UNE gave some back but went into the break with a 43-34 edge. Thompson and Parker had 13 points apiece in the stanza, each knocking down three trifectas. The hosts also capitalized on 13 Colby-Sawyer turnovers in the half, converting them into 14 points.

The Nor'easters maintained a lead of seven (53-46) coming out of intermission, until a quick eight by the Chargers ended a 20-minute span with their opponent in front.

Seconds following a dunk by Donato that shifted Colby-Sawyer up, 60-59, Thompson buried a corner three-pointer for UNE. However, Majong rattled-in a triple of his own on the ensuing possession and the Chargers (63-62) never trailed again.

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