Hudson Franz and Darius Lopes both recorded career-highs in points, but the Maine men’s basketball team dropped their third straight game in coming up short 66-64 against Drexel on Saturday afternoon on Skip Chappelle Court at Memorial Gymnasium in Orono.
It was very back and forth in the first half with three ties and five lead changes, with Drexel taking a slight 33-30 advantage into the break. Maine wouldn’t be on top again, as the Dragons would stretch their lead to as many as 10 with 4:32 left to play. The Black Bears went on a 9-0 run to slice their deficit to just one, and had a chance down three with six seconds remaining but a turnover by Franz led to a pair of free throws by Panagioti Pagonis to seal the Drexel win.
Drexel (2-2) put five players in double figures led by Pagonis who had 14 points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Franz put in a game-high 16 points (4-6 three-pointers) for Maine, and also added five rebounds. Lopes contributed 15 points (3-4 three-pointers), while Ace Flagg also got into double figures with 12 points and five rebounds. The Black Bears fall to 1-4 and will begin a five game road trip when they travel to Connecticut to take on Quinnipiac on Thursday night at 7.
Photo from a home game earlier this season
