University of Maine
Binghamton
Little's Big Performance Leads Maine Men's Hoops Over Binghamton, 67-64
2/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BANGOR, Maine - Freshman Kevin Little recorded 21 points including a clutch trey with 41 seconds remaining to help the Maine men's basketball team split the season series against Binghamton with a 67-64 win at the Cross Insurance Center. With the win Maine improves to 3-21 and 2-9 in conference while Binghamton falls to 4-22 and 3-8 in America East play.
Little's performance is his sixth-straight scoring double-digits and its his third 20 point performance of the season. Helping Little on the offensive end was Shaun Lawton who tallied 15 points along with seven rebounds and five assists.
Binghamton had three double-digit performers as both Willi Rodriguez and Marlon Beck II recorded 18 points apiece while Romello Walker scored 11.
A big key to Maine's win was its accuracy from the free throw line. Maine missed just one shot from the charity stripe hitting 16-of-17 for the game and 12-of-13 in the final frame.
The Black Bears also held the advantage on the glass as the squad took down 30 boards while Binghamton took down 26.
Binghamton took an early five point lead in the first four minutes jumping out on top, 9-4.
Maine chipped away at the Bearcat advantage going on a 13-4 run capped by a Christian Ejiga layup at the 10:37 mark to give Maine a 17-13 lead.
Binghamton charged back knotting up the game at 22 thanks to a Rodriguez bucket with 6:51 but the Maine offense took control the rest of the way.
It started with a pair of free-throw makes from Ejiga to make it 24-22 and the Black Bears proceeded to go on a 13-2 run to close out the half with a 37-24 lead.
In the second half Maine kept Binghamton in check through the first 12 minutes but Binghamton mounted a comeback to get the lead down to single digits thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Walker and Beck II to make it 53-49 with 6:20 left .
It appeared Binghamton was destined to take the lead after Beck hit a free-throw shot to get Binghamton to 58-57 with 1:09 remaining. Maine's first year standout, Little proved to have ice water in his veins as he tallied a trey at the 41 second mark of the second half to make it 61-47.
Moments later a Rodriguez trey made it 63-62 with nine seconds left but the Black Bears drained the free throws on the ensuing possession to maintain its lead. Maine didn't relent the rest of the way and closed out the 67-64 win.
The win marks the third straight year that the home team has won the contest between these two squads as the two teams split the season series, 1-1.
Maine will now have the rest of the week to prepare for its next contest, as the squad will head down to Stony Brook for a Feb. 14 contest. That game is scheduled to tip off at 2 p.m.
