Orono, ME – The University of Maine men's basketball team wraps up their final road trip of the regular season as they head to Vestal, NY to face off against Binghamton on Saturday, Feb. 25.
ABOUT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears are coming off of a 62-74 defeat at New Hampshire on Wednesday night. Maine has already clinched an America East Tournament spot, their first tournament spot since the 2020 season. The Black Bears currently hold the seventh spot in the playoff standings. Maine can finish as high as sixth and as low as eight in the playoff standings over the final two games.
The Black Bears defense has solidified itself as a defense that remains one of the top defenses in the country. Maine leads the America East in steals per game at 9.3 per contest, which is good for a national ranking of 10
th. Black Bears defense was nationally ranked fifth back on Feb. 8, their highest mark on the season. Leading the way in that category for the Black Bears is Sophomore Point Guard,
Kellen Tynes.
Tynes is one of the best defenders in the country as he leads the NCAA in total steals and steals per game. He heads into the matchup against Bryant with 86 total steals and averaging 3.19 steals per game. His steals per game average puts Tynes on pace to set the Black Bears single-season record. Tynes has recorded at least one steal in 26 of the 27 games for Maine.
Tynes is putting up his incredible defensive numbers all while posting the most minutes per game in the America East, averaging 34:54 time on the floor per game. That time ranks him 79
th in the country for time played per game.
PREVIEW ON THE BEARCATS:
Binghamton sits at 12-15 on the season and 8-6 in conference play. They currently hold the fifth spot in the playoff picture, but are fighting for a chance to have a home playoff game as they can finish as high as third, but as low as sixth the standings.
The Bearcats are coming off of a loss against Vermont back on Wednesday night, 70-81.
Miles Gibson did all he could to will his team to the victory as he scored 23 points on the night, playing every minute of the contest.
The Bearcats shot 45.8% from the field and 50% from three-point range on the night.
Binghamton forced nine turnovers in the losing effort.
LAST TIME OUT FOR MAINE:
Maine is coming off of a loss at New Hampshire on Wednesday night, 62-74.
Kellen Tynes led the Black Bears in scoring on the night as he had 18 points on nine of 11 shooting from the field. He also had six assists, three rebounds and two steals.
Gedi Juozapaitis finished with 15 points, including three three-pointers.
Jaden Clayton turned in a career-best performance on the boards as he grabbed seven rebounds.
The Black Bears shot 47.2% from the field in the contest and forced eight turnovers.
TYNES CLOSING IN ON ALL-TIME RECORDS
Kellen Tynes is the best of the best in the country when it comes to stealing the ball as he recently swiped seven steals against UAlbany, giving him an NCAA best 86 at an NCAA best 3.19 per game clip.
His total of 86 steals puts him in second place all-time in program history, trailing the current leader by 9 (Marty Higgins 91-92 / 95 steals). Tynes is currently is in fifth place all-time in America East conference history with his steal total for a single season.
JUOZAPAITIS FIGHTING FOR CONFERENCE SCORING TITLE
Gedi Juozapaitis is in contention for the America East scoring. He ranks ranked fourth in the America East in conference only games in as he is averaging 16.2 points per game through 14 conference matchups. His 15.1 per game in scoring is good for the fifth most in the conference for all games played. He is shooting 45.1% from the field and 38.9% from three-point range on the season.
Juozapaitis ranks second in three-pointers made in conference games with 52 made three-pointers. He trails the conference leader by one. He is shooting the eighth-best percentage from three-point range (36.5%), among qualified leaders, all while attempting the second most three-pointers per game at 2.5 per contest in conference only games.
Juozapaitis is putting up his numbers at a very efficient rate in conference only games as he currently ranks 19
th in field goal%.
FILIPOVITY PUSHING FOR SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Peter Filipovity has made his case to be in consideration for the America East Sixth Man of the Year as he currently has six double-doubles on the season and is he is currently averaging 9.4 points per game in the month of February. His bench scoring is a key part to why the Black Bears are in the America East Tournament.
Filipovity has been a difficult man to stop when he has entered the game as he is averaging 9.8 points per game in just 20.7 minutes per night, which equals out to 0.48 points per minute played. He also leads the Black Bears in rebounds at 5.8 per contest and finds himself in 11
th overall in the conference and 15
th in conference only games in rebounding as he is grabbing 5.2 per America East game.
WRIGHT-MCLEISH CLOSING IN ON 100
Ja'Shonté Wright-McLeish has been a consistent scorer for the Black Bears over his tenure with the team. He has averaged 6.0 points per game over his collegiate career and he is looking to top the 100-made three-pointers at some point during his career. He has made 39 three-pointers this season, giving him 87 for his career.
Tale of the Tape
| Maine (11-16, 5-9 AE) |
Category |
Binghamton (12-15, 8-6) |
| 69.0 |
Points Per Game |
69.4 |
| 69.4 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
71.6 |
| -0.4 |
Scoring Margin |
-2.2 |
| 46.4 |
Field Goal Percentage |
45.7 |
| 34.5 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
32.0 |
| 73.7 |
Free Throw Percentage |
71.7 |
| 30.4 |
Rebounds Per Game |
34.5 |
| -3.5 |
Rebound Margin |
1.3 |
| 14.1 |
Assists Per Game |
11.6 |
| 12.1 |
Turnovers Per Game |
13.1 |
| 14.0 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
11.3 |
| 9.3 |
Steals Per Game |
4.7 |
| 2.0 |
Blocks Per Game |
3.1 |
-UMaine-
