The University of Maine men’s and women’s basketball teams were back in action Thursday night against UMass-Lowell. The women hosted the Riverhawks looking for their seventh America East win, while the men looked to earn their third conference victory of the season on the road.
In the women’s game in the Pit at Memorial Gymnasium in Orono- Adrianna Smith scored a game-high 25 points, and Maine outscored UMass-Lowell 20-7 in the second quarter to build a 17 point halftime lead in rolling to a 68-49 win. The Black Bears never trailed, leading by as many as seven at 15-8 in the first before the Riverhawks ran off six straight points to close within one. Caroline Bornemann knocked a last second 3-pointer to extend the advantage back to four, and then the hosts used that big second period to gain some separation including three 3-pointers by Anne Simon in improving to 14-8 and 7-1 in America East (7-2 overall at home).
Smith added eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals to her game-high point total in the Maine win. Simon finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, but left the contest with about 8:00 left in the third quarter after rolling her ankle and didn’t return. Bornemann contributed six points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Paula Gallego also chipped in six points off the bench. Abbey Lindsey had 12 points and Rayne Durant had 11 in the loss for UMass-Lowell. The Riverhawks fall to 3-17 and 3-5 in conference play.
In the men’s game at Costello Athletic Center in Lowell, Massachusetts- UMass-Lowell closed the first half on a 13-2 run to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish and went on to defeat Maine 76-62. The Black Bears had the lead on four different occasions in the opening 20 minutes, with the biggest being six on a jumper in the paint by A.J. Lopez with 7:13 left. Down by five, the Riverhawks went on their run to take the lead back for good. Ayinde Hikim (8) and Quinton Mincey (5) scored all 13 of the points during the spurt. UML would eventually push that advantage to 17 in the second half on a layup by Cam Morris III with 5:00 left to play. Maine used a run of their own of 8-0 capped off by a 3-pointer by Lopez to get within nine, but the host Riverhawks put it away with layups by Max Brooks and Mincey and 6-6 shooting from the free throw line over the last 3:49 to ice the win.
Kellen Tynes led Maine in the loss with 16 points, three rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Lopez and Quion Burns put in 13 points each. Burns added six rebounds. Ja’Shonte Wright-McLeish also contributed nine points, as the Black Bears fall to 10-12 overall and 2-5 in the conference. Mincey and Morris III had 19 points each in the victory for UMass-Lowell. Morris had a double double with 10 rebounds, while Mincey hauled in six boards. Hikim and Brooks also chipped in 13 points each, as the Riverhawks who are currently in second place in the league improve to 15-5 and 6-1 in America East.
The UMaine teams are back it on Saturday afternoon against Bryant University. The women’s team will travel to Smithfield, Rhode Island to tangle with the Bulldogs at 2 p.m., while the men will be at home for a 3 p.m. contest in the Pit.
Recaps by Chris Lessner
