Maine and Columbia tip off at center court to begin their non-conference men’s basketball matchup at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Thursday, January 2, 2020. Photo by Chris Lessner
BANGOR, Maine- Andrew Fleming hit a long three-pointer as time expired in overtime on Thursday night, lifting the Maine Black Bears to a 75-72 win over the Columbia Lions in men’s basketball non-conference action at the Cross Insurance Center.
Maine (4-10) had an early six point lead thanks to six points from Fleming at 11-5. Columbia though battled back and took a 13-11 lead in which they ended up holding until the final seconds of regulation. The Lions led by as many as seven and held a 30-26 advantage at the break.
Two Black Bear turnovers in the first 42 seconds of the second half led to a breakaway slam by Tai Bibbs, and a layup by Mike Smith to increase the lead to 34-26. The visitors would build that lead to 47-34 with 13:38 left. Maine though would chip away thanks to the play of Fleming and Sergio El Darwich down the stretch. Stephane Ingo sparked the Bears with his play off the bench and would cut it to 59-56 with a layup in the paint. Jake Killingsworth extended the lead back to six on the next possession with a three-pointer. After the hosts cut it to four, Bibbs had a chance to push it back to six again at the free throw line with under a minute left but missed the first and got the second one to go. The Lions had made their first 25 free throws on the night. El Darwich responded with a three point play to make it 65-63, and Smith missed a three-point attempt with nine seconds remaining on the other end. El Darwich tied it with 1.3 seconds showing on the clock with a shot down the lane to send it to overtime.
El Darwich nailed a three-pointer to open the extra session, giving the Black Bears their first lead since the 12 minute mark of the first half. Smith missed two free throws that would of tied it for Columbia with 1:40 left. El Darwich would hit one of two to make it a three point game, before Luke Bolster hit two on the other end to cut it to one for the Lions. El Darwich was intentionally fouled by Smith after a Black Bear steal as he went in on a fastbreak. He would only make one of two free throws, and then Mykhailo Yogodin would miss two in a row with 18 seconds remaining to give the Lions a chance. Smith missed a three for the lead, but Ike Nweke rebounded the miss and scored with four seconds left to tie it and set the stage for Fleming. El Darwich passed to Fleming just before half court, and the senior forward took two dribbles and let go about a 22 foot three pointer that found the mark as time expired.
Fleming finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists in the Maine win. El Darwich had 24 points. Ingo added eight points and six rebounds. Smith led 4-11 Columbia with 20 points, four rebounds, and three steals. Nweke added 17 points and six rebounds. The Black Bears open up America East conference play when they host Stony Brook at the Cross Center on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Maine forward Nedelijko Prijovic watches Columbia guard Mike Smith dribble near midcourt during the second half of a non-conference men’s basketball matchup on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Maine won in overtime 75-72. Photo by Chris Lessner
