ORONO, Maine -- The Maine Black Bears men's basketball teams tips off its 98th season on Tuesday night, taking on the Denver Pioneers in the first of a six-game road swing to begin the 2018-19 season. Maine will battle the Pioneers Tuesday at Magness Arena, before playing Utah on Thursday and San Francisco on Friday. The matchup between the Pioneers will be broadcasted regionally in the Mountain-West area on Altitude. Fans can listen to the game on 96.1 WGUY, or stream the radio broadcast on goblackbears.com or on the TuneIn radio app.
A NEW ERA: Richard Barron takes over the Black Bear men's program, which went a combined to go 24-100 the past four seasons. Eight returners and eight newcomers fill out the 2018-19 roster. Maine will take on a challenging non-conference schedule to prepare for the America East schedule, highlighted by three Power-5 teams (Utah, NC State, Rutgers). The Black Bears will participate in the Wildcat Classic, which features away matchups with NC State (Nov. 17), North Texas (Nov. 20) and Saint Peter's (Dec. 1). The Black Bears' home opener against Princeton is also a part of the Wildcat Classic. Maine begins America East play on January 5
th at the defending America East Tournament Champion UMBC.
PRESEASON EXHIBITION: Maine defeated the Maine Presque Isle Owls (Division III) in exhibition play 82-40 on November 1, at the Cross Insurance Center. Four Black Bears contributed double-figures in scoring, with Mykhailo Yagodin, Isaiah White, Andrew Fleming and Vilgot Larsson combining for 47 of Maine's 82 points in the victory. The Black Bears shot 51.61 percent from the field while stifling UMPI's offense, who shot just 16.67 percent, and turned the ball over 26 times.
A GLANCE AT THE PIONEERS: Denver went an even 15-15 a season ago, advancing to the Summit League Championship semifinals, before bowing out South Dakota State to end its season. The Pioneers found its groove in the second-half of conference play, winning eight of its final 11 contests of 2017-18. Leading scorer and All-Summit First Team selection Joe Rosga (16.1 ppg, .481 FG%) returns to lead the offense in 2018-19.
THE BARRON FILE: Richard Barron was named the 22nd head coach of Maine men's basketball on March 5, 2018, following a three-month span as serving as Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics. Barron previously coached the University of Maine women's team from 2011 to 2017, but took a medical leave of absence after suffering from superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD). The rare syndrome affects an estimated 1% of the population according uclahealth.org. Under Barron, the Black Bear women went 85-89, with two America East Regular Season championships in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Maine qualified for two WNIT's in those two seasons. In America East play, Barron led the Black Bears to a 46-34 record. Prior to coming to UMaine, Barron served as an assistant coach at both Baylor (2007-09) and NC State (2009-11). He also served as the head coach at Princeton from 2001-2007, leading the Ivy League Tigers to a 71-91 record during that span. Barron's first head coaching gig came at Sewanee, leading the Tigers to a regular season conference title in 2000-01. His first collegiate coaching job was as an assistant coach to Sewanee's men's program from 1993 to 1996.
TOP RETURNERS: Andrew Fleming, Ilija Stojiljkovic and Isaiah White return as starters among the eight returners. White averaged 11.1 points per game, including 11.9 per contest in America East games. White led the team in rebounds (5.6 per game), steals (1.4 per game) and blocks (1.5 per game). Fleming (5.3 rpg) and Stojiljkovic (5.1) followed in the rebound department on last year's squad. Celio Araujo started in 18 games last season, returning as the leasing assist man with 1.9 helpers per contest. Dennis Ashley, Miks Antoms and Lewis Wang looks to be a factor off the bench, as Ashley recorded 3.9 points per game last season, often as a 3-point threat of the bench. After missing last season due to a hip injury, Vincent Eze returns for his redshirt-junior season in 2018-19. Eze averaged 6.0 points per game, and 4.9 boards per game in 2016-17 while shooting .454 from the field.
NOTABLE NEWCOMERS: Many new faces will make an impact for the Black Bears this season, including JUCO tranfers Sergio El Darwich (Western Texas College, Vilgot Larsson (Hill College) and Mykhailo Yagodin (South Plains College). El Darwich, a 6-5 point guard, previously played at South Dakota State during the 2016-17 season, making several starts. Yagodin and Larsson have both represented Ukraine and Sweden respectively at FIBA European Championships. 2018-19 Maine Gatorade Player of the Year Terion Moss joins the team as a true freshman along with Stephane Ingo, a 6-9 forward from Mississauga, Ontario, who played a prep year at Gould Academy (Bethel, Maine) last season. Nedeljko Prijovic will miss the season due to NCAA Transfer rules (Texas State).
THE STAFF: Along with Barron, the 2018-19 Maine men's coaching staff have all previously held coaching positions in the Pine Tree State. Kevin Reed returns to coach his alma-mater, after serving as the athletic director and boys' basketball coach since 2010 at Bangor Christian Academy. Reed is the fourth all-time leader in points scored at UMaine. Edniesha Curry was an assistant coach and player development coach for the UMaine women from 2015 to 2017 under Coach Barron. Curry has continued to work with the NBA Assistant Coaches' Program since leaving UMaine. Igor Vrzina served as the Lee Academy Head Coach for four seasons in Lee, Maine, leading the Pandas to a 98-51 record during his tenure. Vrzina has coached several players on the current UMaine roster at Lee, including Miks Antoms, Sergio El Darwich, Nedeljko Prijovic, Ilija Stojiljkovic, and Lewis Wang. Jason Coleman, the Director of Recruiting and Basketball Operations was the boys' head coach of Orono High School, leading the Red Riots to three state-finals appearances in seven seasons.
BREAKING GLASS CEILINGS: Assistant Coach Edniesha Curry is currently the only woman serving as a full-time at the Division I level. Curry, a former assistant coach and on Barron's staff from 2015 to 2017, returns to UMaine after working with the NBA Assistant Coaches' Program. As a player, Curry ranks first in points per game (17.2) and ninth all-time in points (1,254) at Cal-State Northridge, despite only playing three seasons. She transferred to Oregon for her senior year, earning Pac-10 honorable mention honors (9.8. points per game) and leading the Ducks to a WNIT Championship in 2000. Curry played for both the Phoenix Mercury (2003) and Los Angeles Sparks (2005) in the WNBA. She joins Bernadette Mattox (Kentucky, 1990-94), Jennifer Johnston (Oakland, 1999-02) and Stephanie Ready (Coppin State, 1999-01) as the only women to ever serve as an assistant coach on a Division I men's basketball team. "Eddie was an easy choice as an assistant coach," said Barron of the hire. "She is extremely talented at developing players - especially within the context of defensive and offensive systems. Eddie teaches skills that can be utilized with frequency in a game. Eddie is also great at scouting opponents as well as 'self-scouts' - breaking down video to find areas of improvement. She knows Maine, knows many of our players, and knows me and my style of play. She has great connections around the world from her extensive playing and coaching background. Our players will be very fortunate to have someone as gifted and enthusiastic as Eddie coaching them."
BASKETBALL IS BASKETBALL: Richard Barron's switch from being the head coach of the Maine women's team to the Maine men's team is not a common move. The only known example of a coach coaching both the men's and woman's program at one school is Speedy Morris, who coached the La Salle Explorers' women's program for two seasons from 1984-1986, before being hired as the men's coach in 1986, until leaving in 2001. "I think for the most part that coaching is coaching," said Barron after being hired as the men's coach. "There are some differences, definitely. I don't think there's any question that coaching women will help me be a better men's coach. I think the level of communication and empathy that coaches show and my experience on the women's side will help me be a more empathetic and a better communicator on the men's side."
COSTA RICA LIVIN': The Black Bears as a team took a trip to Costa Rica this summer from Aug. 14 to Aug. 20, participating in community service and team-bonding activities, along with playing three games. Some activities included a team service project at Holy Spirit orphanage, a trip to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens and a visit to Crocodile Bridge (home to some of the largest crocodiles in the wild). The team will also take part in a zip line canopy tour in Los Suenos. In game action, Maine split a two-game set with defending U Sports National Champion, Calgary. All games were played at Ciudad Deportiva in San José, the capital of Costa Rica.
AE PRESEASON POLL: In the America East Preseason Poll released on Oct. 17, Maine was picked to tie for seventh with New Hampshire. Its Maine's highest predicted finish since 2012-13 when Maine was picked to finish fifth.
FIBA U20 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: Two new Black Bears competed in the FIBA U-20 European Championships this past July in, Chemnitz Germany. Misha Yagodin represented Ukraine, while Vilgot Larsson dressed in the blue and gold for Sweden. Both Yagodin and Larsson have played in five European Championships for their countries. Yagodin averaged 6.9 ppg, 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assist, scoring in double-figures in his final three games. Yagodin scored an impressive 16 points and brought down five rebounds in the finale against Montenegro. Larsson averaged 4.1 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in seven games in Germany. His tournament highlight came in the first game against Italy, when the Stockholm native dropped in nine points on 4-of-5 shooting.
INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR: Of the 16 players on the roster, 12 Black Bears were born outside the United States. Two players are from Serbia (Ilija Stojiljkovic & Nedeljko Prijiovic), while Urkaine (Mykhailo Yagodin), Brazil (Celio Araujo), Sweden (Vilgot Larsson), Canada (Stephane Ingo) Taiwan (Lewis Wang), Latvia (Miks Antoms) Croatia (David Begic), England (Solomon Iluyomade), Lebanon (Sergio El Darwich) and Nigeria (Vincent Eze) all are represented on the 2018-19 roster. Maine is one of just two known Division I schools to have players from 5 different continents (Virginia).
WITH A TASTE OF MAINE: Along with Pine Tree State products Andrew Fleming (Oxford Hills) and Terion Moss (Portland), a total of nine of 16 players have played at least one season in the state of Maine before coming to UMaine. Nedeljko Prijovic, Ilija Stojiljkovic, Lewis Wang, Miks Antoms and Sergio El Darwich all played at least one season at Lee Academy in Lee, Maine. Stephane Ingo attended and played a prep season at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, before becoming a Black Bear. Dennis Ashley rounds out the group when he played a prep season at Bridgton Academy in Bridgton Maine in 2014-15.
LEE CONNECTION: As mentioned above, Lee Academy has five alumni on the Maine roster. Current Black Bear assistant coach Igor Vrzina coached Prijovic, Stojiljkovic, Wang, Antoms and El Darwich at Lee, boasting an impressive. 98-51 record in four seasons at the helm of the Pandas. Vrzina also recruited Vilgot Larsson to UMaine, as Vrzina and Larsson both went to the same junior college, Hill College.
UP NEXT: Maine will battle the Pac-12 Utah Utes on Thursday night in Salt Lake City. The opening tip at Jon M. Huntsman Center is slated for a 9:00 p.m. EST start.
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