University of Maine
Butler
Maine Men's Basketball Opens 2014-15 with 99-57 Loss to Butler
11/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Butler men's basketball team had six different players tally double-figure point totals, led by Kellen Dunahm's 18-point effort, as the University of Maine men's basketball team fell to Butler, 99-57 on Saturday afternoon.
Butler used precise shooting to record the victory as the Bulldogs poured in 40 buckets going 41-of-57 (71.9%) from the field including eight treys.
The Black Bears struggled to match that accuracy as they finished the game shooting 38.9 percent from the field (21-of-54).
It was the same story from beyond the arc as Maine struggled to drain long-range buckets as they hoisted 21 treys but only five fell for the Black Bears.
Six Bulldogs tallied double-figures in the rout, led by Dunham who shot 6-of-10 from the floor but was automatic from beyond the arc, hitting a blistering 5-of-7 from a distance. Roosevelt Jones missed a double-double scoring 14 points and nine assists. Kameron Woods (10 pts), Andrew Chrabascz (13 pts), Austin Ethrington (11 pts) and Kelan Martin (12 pts) were the other double-figure scorers.
For Maine it was a good debut for Aaron Calixte and returning senior Zarko Valjarevic who both tallied 12 points apiece. Calixte shot 50 percent form the field (4-of-8) and dished out two assists. Valjarevic scored eight of his 12 points in the second half and notched a pair of treys in the second frame. Valjarevic also led the squad in rebounds with six and recorded an assist.
As a team, Butler held the advantage in both rebounding, by a margin of 10 (31-21), and turnovers, committing 12 to Maine's 18.
Shaun Lawton got things started to open the game as the steals-master recorded his first theft on the first possession and broke up court for the opening layup.
Following the opening basket the Bulldogs got to work and went on a 18-4 run as Roosevelt Jones and Alex Barlow led the charge with 6 points each.
Kameron Woods had been held silent through the first half but made his presence felt with 9:11 left in the frame as he broke down the floor and slammed down a dunk to make 27-14.
Maine cut the deficit to 10 as long-ranger shooter Kevin Little drained a trey with 3:43 left in the first half, but Butler finished out the half on a 9-3 run to head into halftime up 43-27.
Dunham opened up the second half with a pair of treys on the first two Butler possessions as the team hit its largest lead to that point, leading 49-27, forcing a Maine timeout.
Mackey got Maine on the board in the second half as he knocked down a bucket to make it 53-29 with 16 minutes left to cut the 10-0 Bulldog run.
Valjarevic made it 53-34 as he drained his first trey of the year at the 15:48 mark of the second half and followed that up with a layup a possession later as the senior made it 55-36, Bulldogs.
The Butler offense took over the rest of the way as it went on an 18-3 run to push the score to 75-38 and finished the half outscoring the Black Bears 56-30 in the final frame to secure the 99-57 victory.
The Black Bears continue a very busy two weeks as Maine travels to Newark, N.J. to take on NJIT on Monday, Nov. 17. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tip.
