BANGOR, Maine – For the fourth time in five America East matchups, the University of Maine Black Bears led at halftime. However, Stony Brook stormed back with a strong second half to steal a 64-61 contest at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday afternoon.
 
Terion Moss led the Black Bears (3-17, 1-4 AE) with 23 points, including an impressive shooting performance of 6-of-12 mark from 3-point range. He grabbed five boards, recorded three steals and did not commit a turnover in 40 minutes played.
 
Sergio El Darwich shot 5-of-13 from the floor for 16 points, reaching double-figures in scoring for the eight-consecutive game. He also pulled down seven boards, while distributing five assists. Andrew Fleming cleaned the glass with a game-high nine rebounds, adding six points in the box score.
 
The game started as a defensive battle, with the score tied at 3-3 after 6:44 of game-time. The two squads kept the scoring close, until a 13-0 Black Bear charge lifted Maine to a 15-point lead at 28-13. The scoring run was started by a 8-0 run by Moss himself, laying in two points while converting two triples from beyond the arc. Dennis Ashley knocked down the first of his two treys, while Vincent Eze hit a jumper to complete the run.
 
Two Seawolves (16-3, 4-0 AE) free throws ended the run, but a Fleming layup and Ashley 3-pointer lifted the advantage to a 16 point halftime lead at 33-17. The Black Bears limited Stony Brook to shoot just 5-of-23 from the floor in the first half (21.7%), in an impressive defensive performance.
 
After the break, Maine extended its lead to a game-high 18 points at 38-20 following a layup and 3-pointer from El Darwich. Stony Brook responded, slowly chipping away at the lead, bringing the lead down to just two points at 44-41 following a 21-3 Seawolf run over the course of 10 minutes.
 
The two teams went back and forth on the scoreboard, as a jumper by Akwasi Yeboah gave Stony Brook the lead at 50-47. It was Stony Brook's first lead since the Seawolves led 6-3 with 13:16 left in the first.
 
The points continued to go in Stony Brook's favor, building a game-high nine-point lead at 57-48 following a 7-0 sprint. Maine cut the deficit down to five points, but Stony Brook brought it back to seven after two made free throws. After four made foul shots from the Black Bears, Maine trailed by just four points at 59-55. SBU would lead by at least five points the rest of the way until Moss drained a deep 3-pointer as time expired. Maine fell by just three points to the second-place Stony Brook at 64-61.
 
Stony Brook was led in scoring by Elijah Olaniyi (14 pts.), Yeboah (12 pts.) and Jaron Otchere (11 pts.) all who reached double-figures. Otchere registered an impressive five-block performance.
 
Moss' previous high of 13 points came against Utah and NC State. Maine leading scorer Isaiah White (14.4 ppg) did not play due to an ankle injury.  
 
The Black Bears are off next Wednesday, but return to action at Binghamton next Saturday. The opening tip against the Bearcats is slated for 1:00 p.m. at the Events Center in Vestal, N.Y.
 
-UMaine-