Box Score Bronx, NY – The University of Maine men's basketball team lost a close one at Fordham University on Wednesday night, 72-67.
 
Maine got off to a solid start on both sides of the floor as they got out to an early 11-5 lead in the first six minutes of the contest. Gedi Juozapaitis (5) and Ata Turgut (3) did most the work early, including connecting on a great and-one play.
 
Fordham battled back to take the lead before the Black Bears went on another run to push their lead back to six points at 20-14, capped off by a contested three-point shot by Gedi Juozapaitis (10).
 
Both sides added onto their respectively totals on the scoreboard, but the Black Bears finished the opening half up six points at 34-28.
 
Gedi Juozapaitis led all scorers in the opening half with 15 points.
 
The Rams got the score all tied up at 42-42 with 11:30 in the second half following a strong opening. Fordham took the lead on the following possession on a Kyle Rose layup.
 
The Black Bears answered with an 8-2 run over the following three minutes to push for their biggest lead of the night, an eight-point as the score moved to 54-46.
 
Fordham retook the lead with 4:19 remaining in the contest, where they pushed the score to their largest lead of the contest with 3:02 remaining, a 63-57 lead.
 
The Black Bears began to cut into the slim lead of the Rams as Jaden Clayton hit a 3-pointer and Ata Turgut hit a 3-pointer to make it a one possession game.
 
The Black Bears rally came up just short on the night as they flew to the Rams of Fordham University, 72-67.
 
Gedi Juozapaitis led the Black Bears in scoring on the night as he dropped 19 on seven of 11 from the field, including three 3-pointers. Peter Filipovity (12) and Milos Nenadic (Career-high 10) rounded out the top-three scorers for the Black Bears on the night.
 
Maine (4-3) is next in action when they take on Marist College as a part of the London Showcase series, held at the O2 Arena in London, UK on Sunday, Dec. 4. That game is scheduled to begin at 10:30 A.M. EST.
 
-UMaine-