Ryan Davis led three players in double figures with a game high 21 points Saturday afternoon, as the Vermont Catamounts stayed unbeaten in conference play with an 81-68 victory over the Maine Black Bears in men’s America East basketball action at Patrick Gymnasium in Burlington, Vermont.
Maine (4-15, 1-7 America East) started off solidly and hung with Vermont for the first half. The Black Bears would lead by seven when Ja’Shon Wright-McLeish knocked in a three-pointer to make it 19-12 with 13:48 left. Wright-McLeish had all 15 of his points in the opening half on 5-5 from the arc, before fouling out in the second half. Isaiah Powell helped the Catamounts take the lead back and for good by hitting a three-pointer with 3:10 to go before halftime at 36-34, and the hosts would lead 42-37 at the break.
Vermont (15-4, 7-0) scored the last basket of that first half and the first six points of the second for an 8-0 run to extend the advantage to 11. The Catamounts later went up 20 on a Nick Fiorillo three-pointer. Maine never got closer than nine the rest of the way. Vukasin Masic led the Black Bears in defeat with 17 points. Wright-McLeish added his 15 points, Maks Klanjscek had 11 points, four rebounds, and five assists, while Kristians Feierbergs also got into double figures with 10 points. The guests did hit 14-26 from three-point territory compared to just 3-12 for the hosts, but Vermont had a 16 point advantage from the foul line (18-22, 2-4 for Maine). Davis added four rebounds to his game high point total for the Catamounts. Ben Shungu had 19 points (11-12 free throws), and Justin Mazzulla chipped in 10 points. Maine is back home in Bangor at the Cross Insurance Center Monday night to play host to Hartford.
