The University of Maine used a 29-15 scoring run over the last 7:26 on Friday afternoon, en route to a 69-56 men’s basketball win over Elon University on the first day of the Cathedral Classic Invitational at the Palestra in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The three day pool play style post-holiday tournament features the hosts from Penn, along with Maine, Elon, and Navy.
Maine hit just 2 of their first 11 shots to begin the game, as Elon scored the first eight points and broke out to a 12-2 lead 6:28 into the first half. The Black Bears responded with a run of their own of 11-0 over the next 3:54, taking their first lead of the afternoon by one capped off by a jumpshot by Christopher Mantis. After the Phoenix regained an advantage of four, Maine would end the opening 20 minutes on a 14-4 spurt helped by three-pointers by Jaden Clayton and Kellen Tynes, and a jumper in the paint by Quion Burns to head into the locker room up 29-23 at the break.
Elon made another run of 18-9 to start the second half to take back the lead 41-38 on a four point play by TK Simpkins with 8:14 remaining to play. A game changing 17-3 run led to the victory for Maine over the next 4:12. AJ Lopez made a pair of three-pointers during the run, and Burns also added one from long distance as they went from a three point deficit to an 11-point advantage 55-44 with just 4:12 to go. The lead eventually went to the biggest for either team at 15 as the Black Bears recorded their second straight win, shooting 83% from the floor over that final 7:26.
Burns led Maine in the victory, putting in 16 points (14 in the second half), while also adding five rebounds. Tynes had a double double, and was very close to a triple double in finishing with 14 points, a career-high 13 assists, and seven steals. Killian Gribben also came off the bench to score in double figures with 13 points and eight rebounds. The Black Bears shot 44% from the floor, 7-22 from three-point range (31.8%), hit 10-11 from the free throw line, while also taking good care of the basketball with just seven turnovers and a 24-12 scoring gap in points off miscues. TK Simpkins would lead Elon in the loss with 21 points and six rebounds, while his brother TJ Simpkins chipped in 10 points and five assists. The Phoenix, out of the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), who defeated ACC opponent Notre Dame last week and only lost to ACC power North Carolina by 14 in their season opener, fall to 3-3. Maine, now 4-3, will take on the host Penn Quakers in day two of the Cathedral Classic Invitational on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
