Ahmad Clark had a game high 29 points on Saturday afternoon, as the Albany Great Danes held off the Maine Black Bears 76-70 in America East men’s basketball played at SEFCU Arena in Albany, New York.
Albany broke on top 10-0 just over five minutes in, before Maine responded with an 11-2 run capped off with a three-pointer from Nedeljko Prijovic to cut it to 12-11. The Black Bears never led in the first half and trailed 36-32 at the break. The first half featured 30 total fouls, with Albany attempting 27 free throws and Maine with 10.
The visitors took a momentary lead 37-36 on a 1-2 trip to the line by Andrew Fleming with 18:05 left. After the Great Danes increased the lead back to five, the Bears took the lead once again for the last time when Vilgot Larsson also hit 1-2 at the line to make it 47-46 with 11:21 remaining. With Albany leading by one, the hosts would go on the run that put the game away going on a 22-7 spurt over the next seven minutes to build the largest lead 70-54 with just over four minutes to go. Maine (4-13, 0-3 America East) would twice cut it to five over the last two minutes on three-pointers from Peter Stumer and Stephane Ingo, but that is as close as they would get.
Prijovic led Maine in the loss with 26 points and four rebounds (5-11 three-pointers). Sergio El Darwich was the only other Black Bear in double figures with 14 points and four rebounds. Clark added seven rebounds to his point total in the Albany win. He went 19-24 from the foul line. Trey Hutcheson added 15 points and eight rebounds, while Cameron Healy added 11 points for the 9-8, 2-0 Great Danes. Maine went 12-18 from the foul line, while Albany was 36-47. The Black Bears who are on a three game losing streak are back at home to host UMass-Lowell Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
