The University of Maine men’s and women’s basketball teams took on the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) on Saturday afternoon in America East action. The men were at home, while the women were on the road.
In the men’s game in the Pit at Memorial Gymnasium in Orono- After three straight losses, Maine picked up their second straight win by rallying past NJIT 68-58 behind a game-high 21 points from Peter Filipovity. The Highlanders led by as many as six in the first half, and by five at the break 30-25. A three-point play by Quion Burns with 12:44 to play would give the Black Bears a lead they wouldn’t relinquish 42-41. They would lead by as many as 12 in the second half in improving to 13-15 and 5-8 in America East.
Filipovity added seven rebounds to his game-high point total in the Maine win. Burns finished with 13 points, and Jayden Clayton contributed 12. The Black Bears shot 47% from the floor and made 24-29 at the free throw line (including 19-21 in the second half). Tariq Francis and Elijah Buchanan had 16 points a piece for NJIT, as the Highlanders fall to 7-19 and 3-11 in the conference.
In the women’s game at the NJIT Wellness and Events Center in Newark, New Jersey- Adrianna Smith had a double double with a game-high 25 points, as Maine outscored NJIT 38-19 in the second half to pull away for a 72-46 win. The Black Bears led 34-27 at halftime, but were sparked during a 22-9 third quarter on a pair of three-pointers each off the bench by Olivia Rockwood and Paula Gallego to put some distance between them and the Highlanders to bounce back after losing their second conference game of the season to UMBC on Thursday night. With the victory, Maine head coach Amy Vachon picked up her 100th conference win becoming just the sixth coach in America East history to reach that mark and the second fastest to do so behind former Black Bears coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie.
Smith filled up the stat sheet by adding 13 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and three steals to her 25 points. Anne Simon also had a double double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists. Maine improves to 19-9 and 12-2 in America East. NJIT didn’t have anyone in double figures as they were led by Trinity Williams who had nine points and five rebounds, as they shot just 27% from the floor in the second half (7-26). The Highlanders drop to 10-17 and 2-12 in conference play.
The Maine basketball teams are back in action on Thursday against Binghamton. The women host the Bearcats in the Pit at 6 p.m., while the men are on the road in New York also with a 6 o’clock tip time.
Recaps by Chris Lessner
