Black Bears (2-1) at Brown (1-3)
Sunday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m.
Pizzitola Sports Center, Providence, R.I.
There is a distinct Vermont flavor on the Brown University bench with head coach Jesse Agel (a longtime Tom Brennan assistant at UVM) and former Vermont players T.J. Sorrentine and Kyle Cieplicki serving as assistants.
Brown is 1-2 with a game vs. St. John's Friday before hosting UMaine. The Bears defeated St. Francis (N.Y.) in their opener before dropping games to Virginia Tech and Rhode Island (78-57 in front of a near sellout crowd in their home opener). Six-foot-eight forward Matt Mullery (13 points per game) and 6-5 forward Peter Sullivan (10.3) are Brown's top scorers through three games.
The game is the finale of a four-game road trip to open the season for the Black Bears. The Brown athletic Web site lists the game with a 2 p.m. start. The UMaine schedule says 1 p.m. Brown was 9-19 last season and was picked to finish last in the Ivy League by Blue Ribbon magazine.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Black Bears 59, Delaware State 56
Behind the frontcourt tandem of Sean McNally (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Troy Barnies (10 points, 12 rebounds), the Black Bears rallied for a win in Dover, Del.
After falling behind by 12 (31-19) in the opening moments of the second half, UMaine reeled off a 21-8 run that was capped by a Barnies bucket at 12:31 that gave the Black Bears only their second lead of the game at 40-39. It was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way as neither team led by more than four points.
Junior Bernal added 10 points for UMaine while Terrance Mitchell and Gerald McLemore tallied nine each. The Black Bears (2-1) trailed 29-19 at the intermission before putting up 40 in the second half. Delaware State falls to 2-1.
After falling behind by 12 (31-19) in the opening moments of the second half, UMaine reeled off a 21-8 run that was capped by a Barnies bucket at 12:31 that gave the Black Bears only their second lead of the game at 40-39. It was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way as neither team led by more than four points.
Junior Bernal added 10 points for UMaine while Terrance Mitchell and Gerald McLemore tallied nine each. The Black Bears (2-1) trailed 29-19 at the intermission before putting up 40 in the second half. Delaware State falls to 2-1.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Game 3
Black Bears (1-1) at Delaware State (2-0)
Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Memorial Hall, Dover, Del.
Delaware State has posted wins in its first two contests, both against non-D1 competition. The Hornets were picked to finish ninth (of 11 schools) in a preseason poll of MEAC coaches.
Delaware State was 8-24 last season. The matchup between DSU and UMaine ought to be interesting as both teams are guard dominated. Delaware State went to a four-guard lineup Monday to pull away from Wilmington University. Meanwhile, the Black Bears have relied on guards Gerald McLemore, Terrance Mitchell and Junior Bernal in the early going.
If UMaine can exploit Delaware State on the interior, look for a positive result Wednesday night. If it comes down to a shootout from the perimeter ... that might play into the home team's hands.
Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Memorial Hall, Dover, Del.
Delaware State has posted wins in its first two contests, both against non-D1 competition. The Hornets were picked to finish ninth (of 11 schools) in a preseason poll of MEAC coaches.
Delaware State was 8-24 last season. The matchup between DSU and UMaine ought to be interesting as both teams are guard dominated. Delaware State went to a four-guard lineup Monday to pull away from Wilmington University. Meanwhile, the Black Bears have relied on guards Gerald McLemore, Terrance Mitchell and Junior Bernal in the early going.
If UMaine can exploit Delaware State on the interior, look for a positive result Wednesday night. If it comes down to a shootout from the perimeter ... that might play into the home team's hands.
Norfolk State 72, Black Bears 71
Kyle O'Quinn's hoop with 5 seconds gave Norfolk State (1-1) only its second lead of the game as the Spartans rallied from a 14-point deficit and clipped the visiting Black Bears (1-1) Monday night.
UMaine appeared headed for a second straight win to open the season, holding a seven-point lead (64-57) with three minutes to go. The Spartans, playing without injured leading scorer Michael Deloach, pulled out the win. Until the final margin, Norfolk State hadn't led since scoring the first hoop of the game.
Gerald McLemore paced UMaine with 24 points. Sean McNally contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Terrance Mitchell scored 16.
Though it is only two games, the Black Bears have demonstrated a familiar penchant for playing well enough to lead or contend late into games before fading down the stretch. In the opener, the Black Bears built a big lead on Fordham and then held on. Using the same formula against Norfolk, the Black Bears led 52-38 with 11 minutes to go before surrendering almost as many points in the final 10 minutes (34) as they had in the first 30. During the final stretch, the Black Bears committed eight of their 18 turnovers.
Much of the preseason Black Bears' talk centered around cleaning up this fatal character flaw and closing games.
UMaine appeared headed for a second straight win to open the season, holding a seven-point lead (64-57) with three minutes to go. The Spartans, playing without injured leading scorer Michael Deloach, pulled out the win. Until the final margin, Norfolk State hadn't led since scoring the first hoop of the game.
Gerald McLemore paced UMaine with 24 points. Sean McNally contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds. Terrance Mitchell scored 16.
Though it is only two games, the Black Bears have demonstrated a familiar penchant for playing well enough to lead or contend late into games before fading down the stretch. In the opener, the Black Bears built a big lead on Fordham and then held on. Using the same formula against Norfolk, the Black Bears led 52-38 with 11 minutes to go before surrendering almost as many points in the final 10 minutes (34) as they had in the first 30. During the final stretch, the Black Bears committed eight of their 18 turnovers.
Much of the preseason Black Bears' talk centered around cleaning up this fatal character flaw and closing games.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Game 2
Black Bears (1-0) at Norfolk State (0-1)Monday, Nov. 16
Echols Hall, Norfolk, Va., 7 p.m.
Norfolk State dropped its season opener, 86-58 at Baylor, Friday night. The Spartans were led by pre-season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year Michael Deloach (right). A 6-foot senior guard, Deloach had 20 points and eight rebounds in the loss in Waco, Texas.
Deloach averaged 21.5 points a game a year ago to become only the second Spartan player to lead the MEAC in scoring.
Norfolk State, despite a 10-game losing streak during the campaign, went 13-18 last season and advanced to the MEAC tournament championship game for for the first time in school history. The Spartans finished third in the conference standings at 9-7 behind Morgan State and South Carolina State. In the pre-season poll of league coaches, the Spartans were picked third ... behind the same two schools.
The Black Bears split a pair of games against Norfolk State back in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
Norfolk State dropped its season opener, 86-58 at Baylor, Friday night. The Spartans were led by pre-season Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference player of the year Michael Deloach (right). A 6-foot senior guard, Deloach had 20 points and eight rebounds in the loss in Waco, Texas.
Deloach averaged 21.5 points a game a year ago to become only the second Spartan player to lead the MEAC in scoring.
Norfolk State, despite a 10-game losing streak during the campaign, went 13-18 last season and advanced to the MEAC tournament championship game for for the first time in school history. The Spartans finished third in the conference standings at 9-7 behind Morgan State and South Carolina State. In the pre-season poll of league coaches, the Spartans were picked third ... behind the same two schools.
The Black Bears split a pair of games against Norfolk State back in 2000-01 and 2001-02.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Black Bears 76, Fordham 73
Gerald McLemore led four Black Bears in double figures in a season-opening win at Fordham. McLemore tallied 26 points and pulled down eight rebounds while Terrance Mitchell tossed in 21 points, had five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
UMaine, which shot 43 percent from the field (10 of 20 on threes), overcame a six-point halftime deficit, built a 16-point lead and then held on. Fordham was cold on its home floor and was held to 33 percent from the field.
The Black Bears and Stony Brook were the only America East teams to post wins Friday when numerous D1 teams got into action. Boston U., Vermont, Albany and Hartford all lost.
Sean McNally (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Junior Bernal (10 points, 6 rebounds) joined McLemore and Mitchell in double figures. Troy Barnies added five points, six boards and four assists.
The Black Bears outrebounded the Rams, 46-39. There were 18 lead changes before UMaine took control and went up 70-54 with a little more than 5 minutes left. Closing games was an issue throughout last season and despite only scoring six points in the final 5-plus minutes Friday, the Black Bears got a road win.
UMaine, which shot 43 percent from the field (10 of 20 on threes), overcame a six-point halftime deficit, built a 16-point lead and then held on. Fordham was cold on its home floor and was held to 33 percent from the field.
The Black Bears and Stony Brook were the only America East teams to post wins Friday when numerous D1 teams got into action. Boston U., Vermont, Albany and Hartford all lost.
Sean McNally (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Junior Bernal (10 points, 6 rebounds) joined McLemore and Mitchell in double figures. Troy Barnies added five points, six boards and four assists.
The Black Bears outrebounded the Rams, 46-39. There were 18 lead changes before UMaine took control and went up 70-54 with a little more than 5 minutes left. Closing games was an issue throughout last season and despite only scoring six points in the final 5-plus minutes Friday, the Black Bears got a road win.
Season opener tonight
Black Bears (0-0) at Fordham (0-0)
Rose Hill Gym, Bronx, N.Y., 8 p.m.
This tilt features programs mired at the bottom of their respective leagues (America East/Atlantic 10) and trying to make a leap up the standings.
Fordham went 3-25 a season ago and 1-15 in the A-10. The Rams won their final pre-season tuneup with a blowout of Mercy College. Freshman Christ Gaston (a 6-7 forward out of high school powerhouse St. Anthony and New Hampton Prep) put up a double-double of 27 points, 17 rebounds. Coach Dereck Whittenberg, of NC State fame, is reportedly on the hot seat as the season begins. Rose Hill Gym is the oldest on-campus D1 facility in the country. Fordham is also one of the early head coaching stops of one Richard "Digger" Phelps.
Maine will attempt to turn its fortunes of the past several years with a new cast surrounding returnees Sean McNally, Troy Barnies, Junior Bernal and Gerald McLemore. McLemore made the All-America East freshman team last year and is Maine's top returning scorer. Much of the focus will be on junior college products Jerrell Boswell (an outside threat) and Terrance Mitchell and how much and how quickly they can mesh with their new squad.
The Black Bears non-conference schedule - except for guarantee games against Syracuse, Boston College and UConn - looks somewhat less than daunting. There aren't many home dates, but the docket is littered with programs in the bottom third of the Division 1 RPI ratings.
The journey to Hartford and the America East Conference tournament begins tonight. Good luck and let's get this ship headed in the right direction.
Rose Hill Gym, Bronx, N.Y., 8 p.m.
This tilt features programs mired at the bottom of their respective leagues (America East/Atlantic 10) and trying to make a leap up the standings.
Fordham went 3-25 a season ago and 1-15 in the A-10. The Rams won their final pre-season tuneup with a blowout of Mercy College. Freshman Christ Gaston (a 6-7 forward out of high school powerhouse St. Anthony and New Hampton Prep) put up a double-double of 27 points, 17 rebounds. Coach Dereck Whittenberg, of NC State fame, is reportedly on the hot seat as the season begins. Rose Hill Gym is the oldest on-campus D1 facility in the country. Fordham is also one of the early head coaching stops of one Richard "Digger" Phelps.
Maine will attempt to turn its fortunes of the past several years with a new cast surrounding returnees Sean McNally, Troy Barnies, Junior Bernal and Gerald McLemore. McLemore made the All-America East freshman team last year and is Maine's top returning scorer. Much of the focus will be on junior college products Jerrell Boswell (an outside threat) and Terrance Mitchell and how much and how quickly they can mesh with their new squad.
The Black Bears non-conference schedule - except for guarantee games against Syracuse, Boston College and UConn - looks somewhat less than daunting. There aren't many home dates, but the docket is littered with programs in the bottom third of the Division 1 RPI ratings.
The journey to Hartford and the America East Conference tournament begins tonight. Good luck and let's get this ship headed in the right direction.
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