JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The University of Maine men's basketball team and Saint Peter's were evenly matched at halftime and at the end of regulation, but the Peacocks outscored the Black Bears 12-8 in overtime to escape the Yanitelli Center on Saturday afternoon with a 63-59 win.
 
Andrew Fleming poured in a team-high 14 points, while Vilgot Larsson (13 pts) and Ilija Stojiljkovic (12 pts) combined for 25 points, shooting a very efficient 10-for-12 from the floor. Fleming grabbed a game-high eight rebounds. Larsson stuffed the stat-sheet with four assists, two blocks and one steal.
 
Neither team led by more than seven points at any given point, as the lead changed hands a total of 15 times. The two squads began the game trading points. With the Black Bears (0-8) holding a slim 14-13 lead, the Peacocks (2-5) embarked on a 8-0 run to take the biggest lead of the game at 21-14.
 
Maine trimmed the deficit to just two at 21-19 following two free throws from Fleming, along with a Sergio El Darwich and-one layup. After points were traded once again, Stojiljkovic knocked down a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, as the two squads went into the locker room tied at 28-28.
 
After halftime, the Peacocks took a five-point advantage at 41-36, but the Black Bears immediately erased the advantage after an Isaiah White trey along with a dunk from the redshirt junior. The squads were even the rest of regulation, as neither team led by more than two points during the final 12:37, as the two teams went back and forth.
 
Maine took leads at 48-47 and 50-49 after an Vincent Eze jumper and Fleming layup, but the Peacocks drained two free throws with 1:55 left to take a 51-50 advantage. Eze went 1-for-2 from the charity stripe with 1:30 left to tie the contest back up. Regulation ended with the 51-51 score as Maine entered its second game this in overtime.
 
Saint Peter's opened extra time with five consecutive points, but the Black Bears responded after a Terion Moss layup to bring it down to three. The Peacocks extended its lead to six at 60-54 with 38 seconds remaining. Larsson nailed a triple to make it a 60-57 in favor of Saint Peter's, but a Peacock dunk made it a five-point advantage. Stojiljkovic slammed in a dunk of his own just three seconds later to cut the deficit it back to 3 points at 62-59.
 
Maine could not get any points in the final 13 seconds, falling 63-59 in Jersey City.
 
Samuel Idowu registered a game-high 21 points for the Peacocks, while Cameron Jones added 17 points.
 
Maine returns to the Cross Insurance Center on Tuesday, hosting Fordham on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. For tickets, visit the Cross Insurance Center box office, or head to TicketMaster.com.
 
-UMaine-