On Jan. 30, the University of Maine men’s Basketball team played their rival, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats. UMaine won 71-46 at home in the Pit.
UMaine started out strong. Fourth-year guard Quinion Burns started the game with two layups. Third-year guard Jaden Clayton made a layup, contributing to the growing lead.
Burns threw a 3-pointer. The Wildcats finally got a pair of points from the free throw line, scored by third-year guard Sami Pissis. The Wildcats gained another point from another free throw taken by Pissis. Seconds later, Pissis made a 3-pointer, still trailing UMaine 9-5.
Second-year guard Logan Carey joined the scoring, securing a good dunk. Then, there was a 3-pointer by fourth-year forward Christopher Mantis. Third-year guard Anthony McComb III from the Wildcats made a layup, getting the Wildcats their first points not from free throws. Carey answered with a good jumper.
Pissis made a jumper, and Mantis immediately followed with a jumper of his own. UMaine was leading by nine points. Burns made a 3-pointer and a layup. Clayton also followed with a layup. The Black Bears were building a strong lead against the Wildcats.
Pissis made another three, with UMaine now leading 25-12. There was a free throw by fifth-year guard Keelan Tynes, and another 3 by Burns. A dunk by first-year guard Khalil Badru finally got the Wildcats some more points.
First-year guard AJ Lopez, Burns and Clayton all made tough jumpers, and a final jumper by Tynes ended the first half with the Black Bears leading the Wildcats 37-14.
The second half started where the first left off. Pissis opened the scoring with a layup. Tynes and the Black Bears followed suit. A foul on the Wildcats gave Tynes another free throw.
There was a good jumper by Tynes and a layup by third-year forward Killian Gribben. The Wildcats followed with a layup from Pissis and third-year guard Jawarie Hamelin. Wildcat first-year center Caleb Middleton shot a good jumper. Lopez answered with a 3-pointer. Another foul on the Wildcats gave three free throws to Burns.
With a dunk by Tynes and a jumper by Clayton, UMaine led by 29 points. A free throw by third-year forward Ridvan Tutic helped extend the Black Bear lead. McComb III made a jumper, answering the Black Bears.
Tynes had another dunk and Burns had two 3-pointers. Pissis made a jumper through contact and a free throw. The Black Bears started to lose momentum. Badru shot a free throw and missed it. The Wildcats were still down by 32 points. Badru got a dunk following the free throw.
Lopez answered with a layup, and Hamlin instantly replied with a 3-pointer. The clock started to wind down and there were free throws by Tynes and Tutic. Pissis scored a 3-pointer, followed by another free throw opportunity for the Black Bears, then two free throws by Tutic. McCcomb III took two free throws.
In the final two minutes, first-year guard Caleb Crawford sank a free throw. The Wildcats fought until the end with a layup and free throw by Badru, along with another jumper by McComb III, but it wasn’t enough. The game ended with a Black Bear win 71-46.
Burns led the game with 26 points, with Tynes adding 14 for the Black Bears. For the visiting Wildcats, Pissis finished with 20 points and McComb III with 11.