MAYVILLE, ND – The (RV) Mayville State University Comets kept their non-conference portion of the schedule going Sunday night, as they entertained the University of Maine at Fort Kent at the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse in Mayville. The Bengals, despite a strong second half, fell to the Comets 77-76 in regular season, non-conference action.

"We made just enough plays to escape with the win," Comets head coach Darren Tighe said. "I thought we came out super strong in the first half, after a tough turn around from the night before."

The Bengals, members of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on back-to-back baskets by Patrick Pauwels in the first two minutes of the contest.

Mayville State fought back, as Latrelle Franklin picked up a pass from Rene Melendez, finding the basket for a three-pointer. Max Cooper took a pass from Franklin 23 seconds later, and found the basket, giving Mayville State a 5-4 lead less than two minutes into the game.

Julian Hymes gave the Bengals the lead once again, but Jalen Valverde answered 30 seconds later, scoring a basket and picking up the foul. He connected on the subsequent free-throw, and the Comets took an 8-6 lead with 16:02 to go in the first half.

Pauwels continued his strong shooting, tying the game less than 20 seconds later.

Max Cooper, however, responded, giving the Comets a lead. Malachi Wharry's three-pointer, with 14:13 to go, extended the lead to five points. 19 seconds later, Pauwels again cut the lead to three, but Franklin responded with a three-pointer, doubling the lead to six with 13:42 to go in the half.

The Bengals eventually pulled to within two points, but Wharry responded with a timely three-pointer, with 12:09 to go in the first half. That sparked a 9-0 run, which saw the Comets take a 25-14 lead with 10:14 left.

Mekhi Foreman cut the lead to eight with just over 10 minutes left in the first half. That sparked a Bengals run, which cut the lead to just four points, before Melendez stopped the run with 8:42 to go. That was the start of an 8-0 run for the Comets, who led by 12 with just over five-and-a-half minutes left in the first half.

The Bengals cut the lead back down to five two minutes later, but Melendez gave the Comets breathing room, extending the lead to eight with 3:25 to go in the first half.

Simon Ramirez nailed a three-pointer with just over two minutes left in the half, giving Mayville State an 11-point lead. A pair of free-throws by the Bengals cut the lead, but Ramirez responded, and Mayville State led 44-32 with one-minute left in the half.
Ahead 44-32, Pauwels scored the first bucket of the second half, just 50 seconds in. In fact, he scored the first two buckets of the second half, before Valverde broke the run.

The Bengals did bring the game to within five points, but Valverde answered with a three-pointer with 16:47 to go, increasing the lead to eight. Seconds later, Franklin went on his own 5-0 run. In all, a 13-0 run gave the Comets a commanding 18-point lead with 12:59 to go in the game.

With the game well in hand, with 9:12 to go, the Bengals began a run that changed the complexity and shape of the contest. A 12-0 run by the Bengals, over four minutes and 40 seconds, quickly turned the game from a double-digit Comet lead, to a three-point Comet lead. The Bengals appeared as if they were about to turn the tables on the Comets.

"We lost our focus a little in the second half," Tighe said. "But we were able to figure it out just in time."

But, with 4:32 to go, Jalen Valverde broke the ice, converting on a three-point play, extending the Comet lead to six points.

Foreman, for the Bengals, and Tobyn Lawson, for the Comets, traded baskets, and Mayville State held a six-point lead with 3:39 left in the second half. Logan Miller drained a three-pointer with 3:18 to go, pulling the Bengals to within three-points, 71-68. With the momentum swinging, Foreman hit a game-changing three-pointer to tie it at 71-71 with 2:34 to go, and the game looked as if it would possibly be heading for overtime.

Franklin hit a bucket with 2:26 to go, giving the Comets a two-point advantage, but Pauwels answered and tied the game, once again, with 1:49 to go. Going back and forth, Franklin gave the Comets the advantage, by two points, draining a bucket with 1:29 to go in the second half. Pauwels returned the favor, this time nailing a three-pointer, giving the Bengals a one-point advantage with 1:15 to go in regulation.

Mayville State and the Bengals went back-and-forth. A turnover, by the Bengals, with 23 seconds to go, led Franklin down the court. On his way to the bucket, he was fouled by Foreman. Franklin drained both threes, giving the Comets a 77-76 lead with nine seconds left.

A last-second three-pointer by the Bengals' Bryce Gilbert was missed, and the Comets escaped with the one-point win.

Four Comets finished with double-figures in scoring—Franklin led with 19, Valverde had 17, Ramirez finished with 15 and Wharry finished with 11.

Mayville State moves to 10-2 on the season.

The Comets are off until after the new year. They'll return to the Lewy Lee Fieldhouse on January 7, when they host the Trinity Bible College Lions. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.