Nedeljko Prijovic led three Maine Black Bears with 20 points or more with 24 points on Saturday afternoon, en route to a 82-75 win over the Binghamton Bearcats in America East men’s basketball action at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.
Both teams held a first half lead of as many as four points, but a layup with 23 seconds left by Prijovic gave Maine a 35-33 lead at the half. The Black Bears opened things up early in the second half. Trailing by one, Maine went on an 18-0 run over the next 5:10 to take their biggest lead of the day at 55-38 capped off by a Stephane Ingo jumper in the paint. Binghamton (8-15, 2-8 America East) wouldn’t go away however. A three point play by Richard Caldwell, Jr. with 2:53 left cut it to 69-61. After the visitors built the lead again back ro 13, the Bearcats cut it to five with 23 seconds remaining on a Sam Sessoms three-pointer. Maine put it away with a Prijovic layup just seven seconds later.
Prijovic had a double double in the win adding 10 rebounds. Andrew Fleming had 23 points and six rebounds, dominating the inside play with five slam dunks in the game as well. Sergio El Darwich added 22 points and six rebounds, as the three high scorers combined for 69 of the 82 Black Bear points. Maine improves to 7-17, 3-7 America East. Caldwell Jr. led Binghamton in the loss with 20 points. George Tinsley had a double double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Sessoms added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Hakon Hjalmarsson contributed 12 points. Maine is on the road at UMass-Lowell on Wednesday night at 7.
