CASTLETON, Vt. – The Vermont State University Castleton men's basketball team fell just short in a Little East Conference matchup, dropping a 78-74 decision to Southern Maine on Saturday afternoon at Glenbrook Gymnasium. 

The Basics

Final Score: Southern Maine 78, VTSU Castleton 74

Location: Glenbrook Gymnasium – Castleton, Vt.

Records: Southern Maine 8-6, 3-2 LEC | VTSU Castleton 5-9, 0-5 LEC

How It Happened

Castleton opened the scoring with a three-pointer from Jackson Doyle and traded baskets with the Huskies through much of the opening half. A Southern Maine turnover at the 12:51 mark sparked a momentum shift for the Spartans, as Ben Seiler recorded a steal and found Will Radcliff for a fast break basket, followed by a three-pointer from Joe Buxton to give Castleton a slight edge. 

Midway through the half, the Spartans built their largest lead of the game at seven points behind three-pointers from Conner McKearin and Seiler, along with a tip-in layup from Zach Thompson. Buxton added a basket off a McKearin steal to extend the lead. Castleton maintained control late in the half with additional three-pointers from Buxton and Adam Bilodeau, shooting 54.5 percent from beyond the arc to take a 41-38 lead into the break. 

The second half mirrored the first, with both teams exchanging baskets throughout. Buxton continued his strong performance from the perimeter, knocking down back-to-back three-pointers to keep the Spartans in front early. Foul trouble allowed Southern Maine to capitalize at the free-throw line, and a Huskies three pointer at the 11:19 mark gave the visitors a narrow lead. Castleton kept battling, cutting the deficit to under 10 as Radcliff converted several late buckets in an effort to tie the game, but Southern Maine held on to secure the 78-74 victory.  

By the Numbers

• Buxton led the Spartans with 18 points off the bench, shooting 7-of-12 from the field and 4-of-5 from three-point range, while adding five rebounds and one assist. 
• Radcliff finished with 16 points, six rebounds and two assists. 
• Maldonado chipped in eight points, four assists and one rebound. 
• Castleton held a slight edge from the field (45.6% to 42.9%) and matched Southern Maine from three (38.5%), while the Huskies capitalized at the free-throw line (89.7% to 40.0%). 

What's Next

The Spartans travel to Eastern Connecticut for a Little East Conference matchup on Wednesday, January 14, with tip off scheduled for 3 p.m.