University of Maine
Massachusetts
Men's Basketball Defeats UMass 68-56
12/8/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
AMHERST, Mass.-The University of Maine men's baketball team defeated the University of Massachusetts by the score of 68-56 on Wednesday night at the Mullins Center. With the win, Maine is now 3-5 on the year while UMass suffers just its second loss and now stands at 7-2. Maine was led by America East Player of the Game Malachi Peay (Brooklyn, N.Y.) who had 10 points, five assists, four rebounds and four steals.
Gerald McLemore (San Diego, Calif.) got Maine going when he intercepted a pass and went coast-to-coast for a layup and the foul. The Minutemen would take an 11-5 lead with five minutes left, but a Troy Barnies (Auburn, Maine) put-back would make it 12-7 with 11:56 left in the first half.
The teams exchanged baskets, and a nifty Malachi Peay (Brooklyn, N.Y.) steal and fastbreak layup got the Black Bears within 20-14 with eight minutes to play in the first stanza. Alasdair Fraser (Falkirk, Scotland) hit a jumper and an Andrew Rogers steal and layup got Maine within 20-18 with seven minutes to play.
The Black Bears continued to battle, which included a nice Fraser dunk on a Minuteman defender. A Barnies follow made it 30-29 UMass with just under four minutes to play. Two Peay free throws with two minutes left gave Maine a one-point edge. The teams exchanged baskets but would go into halftime tied at 32.
Fraser led Maine with nine points in the first half while McLemore added six points and three rebounds.
The Minutemen opened up a 36-33 lead, but Mike Allison (Lynden, Ontario) had a nice follow above the rim to make it a one-point game five minutes into the second stanza. Maine got within 38-37 on a nice Peay pass to McNally for an easy layup.
UMass got a bucket, but Terrance Mitchell (Milton, Fla.) swished a three to tie the game at 40 with 11:20 left. Mitchell would drain another three to put Maine up 45-42 with 10 minutes to play. The Black Bears took a 50-44 lead on a Peay free throw with 8:42 left, and a McNally follow put Maine up 52-44.
Maine got a stop, and McLemore made a three from the corner to put the Black Bears up 11 with six minutes to play.
The teams exchanged three pointers, and Maine held a 60-47 lead with 4:07 left.
UMass made a pair of free throws, but Barnies answered with a layup. The Black Bears got a stop, and would make free throws the rest of the way to seal the win.
Allison finished with seven points, six rebounds and three blocks while McLemore added 12 and Mitchell 10.
-U-M-
