BANGOR – It was only two years ago that Erin Cole-Karagory and Kim Condon were the fiercest of basketball rivals.

Cole-Karagory starred for Caribou High School, while Condon was the catalyst at archrival Presque Isle. These days, the two players make up the “County Connection” for Colby College of Waterville.

The pair combined for 41 points Sunday night, powering the White Mules to a 75-66 victory over Husson in the second round of the State of Maine Women’s Basketball Tournament at Newman Gym.

Colby takes on No. 2 seed Bates College of Lewiston in Monday’s 5:30 p.m. championship game. The 6-2 Bobcats held off No. 3 University of Maine-Farmington 72-69 in the other winners’ bracket game.

Monday’s schedule was reduced to only a title game after the ice storm forced postponement of Friday’s opening-round contests.

Cole-Karagory and Condon tallied 28 of Colby’s 36 second-half points as the Mules staved off a determined Husson comeback. Cole-Karagory enjoys the relationship she and Condon now share.

“We know where each other’s going to be and we can work together, so that’s fun,” said Cole-Karagory, who admitted the two weren’t close during high school.

“We didn’t hate each other, but every time I would work on my game it would be to beat Kim Condon and every time she’d work on her game it would be to be me. Now we’re together, so all the work paid off,” she said.

Carrie Cram sparked Husson during a key second-half spurt, scoring nine points in a span of 4:03 to cut Colby’s lead to 57-55 with 7:48 to play. Husson cashed in on consecutive Colby turnovers as Cram hit a 10-footer from the lane and Emily Walker converted a conventional three-point play.

Condon helped Colby hold onto the lead. She scored from the low block, then countered Walker’s fast-break layup by stealing the inbounds pass and scoring. Katie Nye scored for Husson, but Condon answered from underneath.

However, Husson committed too many turnovers against the Mules’ swarming defense and Colby made 10 of 12 from the foul line late to secure the victory.

Jen McGonagle contributed 11 points, a game-high 10 rebounds and three steals for Colby. Jenn Freese handed out five assists, while Cole-Karagory had four.

Walker paced Husson’s balanced attack with 19 points. Katie Nye tossed in 16, Leslie Weed netted 11 and Cram finished with 10.

Jen Russ had five assists for Husson.

The Mules led 39-32 at the break after badgering the Braves with pressure defense and working their motion offense for high-percentage shots. Husson avoided falling further behind with a 6-for-9 performance from the 3-point arc.

Colby’s run-and-jump press was effective, as Husson responded with 14 turnovers. The Mules had offfensive contributions from eight different players in the half working against Husson’s man-to-man.

The 3-point shooting of freshman guards Weed and Nye gave the Braves hope. Weed nailed three 3-pointers in a five-minute span early in the half, then Nye hit three more en route to 11 points in a 3 1/2-minute stretch late in the half.

Their presence was crucial, because Husson was unable to establish either Walker or 6-foot-2 Kelly Dow underneath.

White Mules 75, Braves 66

Husson (10-6) Colby (5-2)

Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP

Nye 5 6 3 4 16 Freese 1 5 4 5 6

Doughty 0 4 0 0 0 Cole-Kar’g’ry 7 17 9 10 23

Dow 3 7 0 0 6 Cochrane 4 9 0 0 8

Walker 8 15 3 3 19 Condon 8 13 0 0 18

Emerson 0 0 0 0 0 McGonagle 5 11 0 0 11

Cram 4 10 2 3 10 Hallee 2 2 0 0 4

Weed 4 8 0 0 11 Roberts 1 3 0 0 3

Russ 0 1 0 0 0 Morin 1 4 0 0 2

Northrup 1 3 0 0 2

Hamilton 1 5 0 0 2

Totals 26 59 8 10 66 Totals 29 64 13 15 75

Husson 32 66

Colby 39 75

3-pt. goals: Husson (6-13): Northrup 0-1, Weed 3-7, Nye 3-3, Doughty 0-1, Dow 0-1; Colby (4-15): Roberts 1-3, Cole-Karagory 0-3, Condon 2-5, McGonagle 1-4

Attendance: 250 (est.)

(Sunday’s Consolation) Bates (6-2) 70

Rosenberg 2-2-7, McCrave 6-4-16, McLaughlin 3-0-6, Desimone, Taylor, Grace, Dell’ova, Porter, Thurston 5-3-13, Dutille 4-5-13, King 5-4-14, Frissara 0-1-1, UM-Farmington (6-3) 69

Robertson, Wyman, Hartman, Normand, Fletcher 1-3-5, Parent 7-1-16, Downes, Roak 2-6-10, Rosebush 1-0-2, Atwood 3-2-10, Moir 5-5-15, Bailey, Lasante 4-1-9

3-pt. goals: Rosenberg; Parent, Atwood 2

(Sunday’s First Game) Thomas (4-6) 60

Farrell 7-1-17, Whitmore, Cayford, Henderson, Russell 1-0-3, Fecteau 4-0-10, Cracolici 1-3-5, Parsons 1-0-2, Madore, Chessa, Ramos 10-3-23, Sabattos UM-Presque Isle (5-6) 51

Ricker, Thurlow 4-4-16, Von Oesen 4-3-11, Stevens 1-0-2, Cheney, Young 3-1-7, Chatman 3-3-9, Dolley, Sanborn 0-1-1, Huff 2-1-5

3-pt. goals: Farrell 2, Russell, Fecteau 2; Thurlow 4

(Saturday) St. Joseph’s (5-4) 59

Chavarie 4-3-11, Burrell 2-0-4, Pierce, Forand 2-0-4, Marsh 1-0-2, Brown 0-4-4, Morton, Lemire, Beane 5-0-10, Field 5-3-15, Turcotte 1-0-2, Read 2-1-7, Cropley Husson (10-5) 69

Ledien 1-0-2, Northrup 1-0-2, Weed 2-0-4, Russ 1-0-2, Cram, Tobin, Nye 6-3-17, Doughty 2-2-7, Hamilton 2-0-4, Dow 2-4-8, Walker 10-3-23, Emerson, York

3-pt. goals: Chavarie, Field 2; Nye 2, Doughty

(Saturday) Thomas 41

Farrell, Chessa, Cayford 3-0-8, Russell 2-2-6, Fecteau 4-0-10, Cracioli 2-2-4, Ramos 4-3-11, Parsons 1-0-2 UM-Farmington (6-2) 70

Robertson 2-2-7, Wyman 0-3-3, Lasante 4-2-10, Moir 2-0-4, Bailey 5-3-13, Atwood 2-2-6, Rosebush 0-2-2, Roak 5-0-10, Downes 1-0-2, Parent 3-0-7, Fletcher 2-0-4, Normand 1-0-2, Hartman

3-pt. goals: Cayford 2, Fecteau 2; Robertson, Parent

(Saturday) UMPI 61

Ricker 0-1-1, Thurlow 2-2-7, Von Oesen 3-3-9, Stevens 2-0-5, Young, Chatman 6-3-17, Sanborn 3-4-10, Huff 6-0-12 Bates (5-2) 65

Rosenberg 2-0-5, McCrave 5-2-14, McLaughlin 4-1-9, Desimone 2-0-5, Porter, Thurston 2-2-8, Dutille 2-3-7, King 7-3-17

3-pt. goals: Thurlow, Stevens, Chatman 2; Rosenberg, McCrave 2, Desimone, Thurston 2