SAN FRANCISCO – Playing its third game in five days to begin the season, the University of Maine men's basketball team fell in its west-coast finale, 93-50, to the San Francisco Dons on Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gymnasium at the Sobrato Center.
 
Sergio El Darwich (6-of-9 FG, 2-of-3 3PT) and Andrew Fleming (6-of-12 FG) led the Black Bears on the offensive end, recording 14 points apiece. Isaiah White and Terion Moss added seven points against the Dons. El Darwich's 14 points is a new career-high. His previous-high of seven points was set against Minnesota Crookston as a member of South Dakota State in 2016.
 
San Francisco jumped to an early 10-0 lead, before El Darwich got Maine on the scoreboard with a layup. After the Dons took an 11-point advantage at 15-4, Maine came within five points at 15-10 after a 6-0 run featuring points from Vilgot Larsson El Darwich, Fleming and White. The Dons finished the first half on a 29-10 charge to take a 44-20 lead into the locker room.
 
Maine could not get back into the game in the final 20 minutes, as USF shot 75 percent from the floor in the second frame, scoring 49 points in the second-half compared to 30 for the Black Bears on 41 percent shooting.
 
The Dons used a balance attack of Charles Minlend (22 points), Frankie Ferrari (13 pts.), Jimbo Lull (12 pts.), Jordan Ratino (12 pts.), Matt McCarthy (10 pts.) and Remu Raitanen (10 pts.),who all registered double-figures in scoring. 
 
Maine will have a week off, before heading to ACC foe North Carolina State next Saturday. The opening tip at PNC Arena is slated for 2:00 p.m. in the opening game of the Wolfpack Classic.
 
-UMaine-