University of Maine
Vermont
Men's Basketball Drops America East Quarterfinal at Vermont, 99-82
3/2/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BURLINGTON, Vt. -- The University of Maine men's basketball team's 2015-16 season came to an end with a 99-82 America East quarterfinal loss at Vermont on Wednesday evening. Maine wraps up the season at 8-22, besting its win total from a year ago by five.
Freshman Issac Vann led all scorers with 26 points with seven rebounds. Vann, who ended the season with 20+ points in four of his last five, hit 9-of-10 from the free throw line. Aaron Calixte finished with 17 points and ended his sophomore season scoring double-figures in his last nine games.
Maine went 28-for-66 from the floor (42.4 percent), hitting nine 3-pointers. Maine had one of its best showings from the free throw line, knocking down 17-of-22. There was no quit in the Black Bears who outscored Vermont 43-41 in the second half of action.
Vermont's success can be credited to its stellar night shooting. The Catamounts finished 38-for-58 (65.5 percent), including a 57.1 percent mark from 3-point range (12-21).
Vermont started the first half hot and didn't cool off, finishing the opening half with a 67.6 percent mark from the floor, including hitting 9-of-13 from beyond the arc.
The Catamounts began the half on a 16-6 run, taking a 10 point edge over the opening 5:19 of play.
Maine settled in as a three from Marko Pirovic began an 8-4 Black Bears sprint, bringing the visitors back within six.
Vermont, leading by nine, continued its hot shooting as it knocked down triples on three-straight possessions, taking its largest lead of the half at 18.
The Black Bears regrouped out of a timeout and continued to fight, closing the gap to 11 beginning with back-to-back buckets by Vann.
Vermont closed the half strong, taking a 19-point edge after Cam Ward's halfcourt heave at the buzzer connected. Maine trailed 58-39 at the break.
The Catamounts grew their lead out to 24 early in the second half.
Maine answered as a pair of 3-point plays from Calixte and Vann began a 10-3 Maine run, bringing the Black Bears back within 16.
The deficit extended to 20 once again but Maine refused to give-in. The Black Bears scored the next seven points unanswered and found themselves down 13 with 5:21 to play.
However, Maine was unable to close the gap further as the distance once again grew back to 20 before Vermont wrapped up the quarterfinal victory, 99-82.
-UMaine-
