University of Maine
Vermont
Men's Basketball Slips in Second Half, Falls to Vermont
1/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BANGOR, Maine -- The University of Maine men's basketball team led by as many as six in the first half but was unable to hold on, dropping its America East opener to Vermont by a score of 90-72 on Wednesday evening.
Till Gloger led the way for the Black Bears, posting double-figures for the fourth straight game with 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting. Devine Eke added 12 points and six boards while Kevin Little and Ilija Stojiljkovic both finished with 10. Stojiljkovic, who set a career-high in points, narrowly missed a double-double with a team-high nine points.
Both team's were efficient from the floor as Maine finished 29-of-56 (51.8%) and the Catamounts knocked down 33-of-66 attempts.
Vermont led for the opening 14 minutes, expanding its lead out to nine with 8:12 remaining in the first half.
That's where Maine began its charge, reeling off an 18-3 run to take a six point lead of its own. The Black Bears started the run with a 10-0 sprint keyed with a 3-pointer by Stojiljkovic before a pair of free throws from Ryan Bernstein gave Maine its first lead, 28-27.
The Black Bears kept the pressure on as back-to-back 3-pointers from Little and Troy Reid-Knight gave them their largest lead, 36-30, with 2:28 left in the half.
Vermont closed the first on a 10-4 run, tying the contest at 40-all at the break.
The Catamounts took a five point lead out of the half but it was soon erased on buckets from Gloger and Calixte.
Vermont answered with a 13-4 run, pushing its lead out to double-digits with 12:04 to play.
Maine again responded as it was able to cut the lead down to seven before Vermont took control, staging a 23-9 run and swelling its lead out to 85-64.
The Black Bears failed to close the lead any closer than 18 the rest of the way, falling in the end by a score of 90-72.
Maine continues America East action when it travels to take on UMBC on Saturday, Jan. 9 at 1 p.m.
-UMaine-
