Auburn, ME - The top-ranked Mustangs shook off a slow start with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Southern Maine CC 35-11 in the frame en route to a 94-64 road win on Wednesday night. With the victory, CMCC improves to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in Yankee Conference play. The Seawolves fall to 6-5 overall and 3-2 in the conference.
After scoring just 7 points in the opening quarter, the Mustangs exploded offensively in the second, putting up 35 points while shooting 71 percent from the field anf forcing 9 turnovers. Ava Smith (Casco, ME) led the surge, scoring 10 of her 12 points in the period on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting. The second quarter showcased CMCC's trademark defensive intensity and unmatched depth.
Gabbie Tibbetts (West Paris, ME) led all scorers with 18 points and took 4 offensive fouls, helping shift momentum early in the second quarter. Caitlyn McCoy (Greene, ME) added 17 points, connecting on 5 three-pointers, while Breanna Dwyer (Gold Coast, Australia) chipped in with 13 points. Smith finished with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists in her most complete game of the season.
CMCC's bench was once again decisive, outscoring SMCC's reserves 66-10. The Mustangs forced 29 turnovers and held a +12 advantage on the boards.
Ashley Mullen paced SMCC with 17 points and 7 rebounds.
Head coach Andrew Morong noted that despite the final score, there is still room for improvement. "We did not necessarily play well tonight. We have to make some adjustments to our lineups and rotations," Morong said. "That said, I am glad we pulled it out. We are very happy with our bench production and thrilled that we got back to our roots defensively by taking six offensive fouls which has always been a staple of ours."
The Mustangs return to Auburn on Saturday for a 4:00pm Yankee Conference matchup against the Huskies of Word of Life.
