Axemen drop road decision to UPEI after second-half surge
Acadia fell 87–76 to the UPEI Panthers on Saturday night at the Chi-Wan Young Sport Centre, surrendering an early lead as the hosts took control in the second half.
The Axemen led by as many as 11 points in the opening half and carried a narrow advantage into the break, but UPEI closed the game on a decisive run to secure the win.
Gabe Davignon led Acadia with 15 points and three steals. Robbie Grant and Donovan Reid each added 12 points, with Reid also recording four blocks. Kyle Munro finished with 11 points and six rebounds.
Acadia opened the scoring with a layup from Reid, set up by Grant. UPEI answered quickly, but the Axemen established early control behind efficient shooting and strong defensive pressure. Ryan Regault knocked down a three midway through the half, and a second triple from Malko Young helped Acadia stretch the lead to 11.
The Panthers trimmed the deficit late in the half, closing within five on a fast-break three by Nicolas Gonzalez Longarela. Acadia regrouped and entered the break with a 27–22 lead.
The game tightened in the second quarter as both teams traded baskets. UPEI briefly tied the score, but Acadia responded with timely finishes in transition. Munro converted a layup in the final seconds, and Davignon followed with a steal and buzzer-beating layup to give the Axemen a 47–43 halftime advantage.
UPEI opened the third quarter with back-to-back three-pointers to take the lead. Acadia answered, and the teams exchanged momentum throughout the frame. A late three from Aaron Simmons and another from Munro allowed Acadia to carry a 64–61 edge into the final quarter.
The Panthers took over in the fourth, outscoring Acadia 26–12. UPEI's defensive pressure forced turnovers and led to transition points, swinging the game in the hosts' favour. A late surge pushed the margin into double digits before the Panthers closed out the 87–76 victory.
Hugo Bermejo paced UPEI with 22 points, while Owen Smith added 18 on efficient shooting.
Acadia returns to action Friday night on the road in Antigonish, facing the X-Men at 8 p.m.