PISCATAWAWAY, N.J. – The University of Maine men's basketball team led the majority of the first half, but a late run in both halves sparked Rutgers to a 70-55 victory at the Rutgers Athletic Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
Three Black Bears (2-12, 0-0 AE) registered double-figures in scoring, as Andrew Fleming (5-10 FG) and Isaiah White (4-9 FG) led the way with 11 points each. Sergio El Darwich connected on four of his nine field goal attempts for 10 points, while leading Maine in both rebounds (6) and assists (5).
 
Vincent Eze added eight points in 24 minutes played, grabbing five rebounds, while knocking down four of his five free throws. Eze drew six Scarlet Knight (7-5, 0-0 B1G) fouls, while having just a -2 plus-minus.
 
After Rutgers scored the first basket 11 seconds into the game, Maine ensued on a 8-2 run, featuring a Fleming dunk and layup and two Eze layups to take an 10-4 advantage with 14:56 left in the first half.
 
Rutgers came within just two points at 10-8, but Maine scored eight unanswered points to take a team-high 10-point lead at 18-8 following a White triple. The Black Bears would hold its lead until 1:15 left in the opening half, as the Scarlet Knights surged on a 22-9 run to end the half, taking 30-27 lead into the locker room.
 
Terion Moss nearly knotted the game at the half, knocking down a three-quarter court shot as time expired, but the shot was waived off following a replay review. Maine led for 16:31 of the 20-minute first half, shooting 45.8 percent from the floor, while holding Rutgers to shoot just 37 percent.
 
El Darwich opened the second-half scoring with a layup to cut Rutgers lead to just one point, as the Scarlet Knights responded with three-consecutive triples to open the half to take an eight point lead at 39-31.
 
White connected on his second three-pointer and El Darwich sunk another layup to bring the Rutgers lead down to three points at 39-36. Rutgers quickly built back up a nine-point lead at 46-37, but a Fleming slam and Vilgot Larsson trey brought the deficit down to four at 46-42 with 11:33 left.
 
Over the next 4:18 of game time, Rutgers took control on a game-changing 14-0 sprint to take a 18-point lead 60-42 lead with 5:37 remaining. Moss halted the run with a triple to make it a 15-point advantage. Eze sunk two three throws to bring the deficit to 13 points, but that's as close as Maine got, falling 70-55 against the Big 10 foe.

Maine shot better (43.5%) from the field than Rutgers (41.1%), but the Scarlet Knights won the rebounding battle (40-26). Rutgers got to the charity-stripe 24 times, making 16 of its opportunities, while the Black Bears made eight of their 15 attempts.
 
Eugene Omoruyi (17 pts.) and Caleb McConnell (14 pts.) led the Rutgers offensively, while Myles Johnson (10 pts., 10 reb.) put together a double-double performance. Geo Baker tallied nine points and nine assists in a near double-double effort.
 
Maine closes out its non-conference slate against Brown on Wednesday, Jan. 2. The opening tip is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Providence against the Ivy League foe.  
 
-UMaine-