Miami, FL – The University of Maine men's basketball team fell at FIU on Thursday night, 82-74.
 
Both sides started out the game trading buckets before the Black Bears pushed out to a six-point lead at 10:18 into the first half following three free throws by Quion Burns.
 
Maine got their first half lead up to a high of seven points following back-to-back three-pointers by Kristians Feierbergs and Ja'Shonté Wright-McLeish.
 
FIU trimmed the deficit down to one point as Maine carried a 36-35 lead into the break.
 
Jaden Clayton and Wright-McLeish led the Black Bears in scoring in the first half as they each had seven points. Clayton added four assists while Wright-McLeish had four steals in their 35 combined minutes in the first half.
 
AJ Lopez had six points and three rebounds across 15 minutes of action in his first start of the year.
 
FIU took the lead early in the second half as they pushed it up to eight-points at the second media timeout by a score of 55-47.
 
Maine got the deficit down to four-points late in the second half but FIU held onto their lead and came away with the victory, 82-74.
 
Peter Filipovity finished with a team-high 16 points and seven rebounds for the Black Bears.
 
Wright-McLeish (13), AJ Lopez (13) and Jaden Clayton (10) all scored in double digits. Wright-McLeish finished with five steals while Clayton had a season-high nine assists.
 
Maine (8-6) is back in action on Friday, Dec. 29 as they travel to Minnesota. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 P.M.
 
-UMaine-