Durham, NC - The University of Maine men's basketball program was defeated by #7 Duke on opening night at Cameron Indoor Stadium, 96-62.

Maine held the contest close throughout the first half as they tied the game up 6-6 and later in the half went on a 9-0 run to make it a single-digit deficit at 26-18 with a little over 10 minutes to play.

The Black Bears trailed at halftime by only 11 as the score stood at 44-33.

Keelan Steele led the Black Bears in scoring as he had eight points and one rebound.

Quion Burns had six points and a team-high four rebounds and Kellen Tynes had five points and three steals.

Christopher Mantis buried a pair of three's in the opening half for six points.

Maine held the Blue Devils to within 12 for the first couple of minutes of the second half before Duke began to pull away for good, concluding the contest at a final score of 96-62.

Burns finished with a team-high 15 points, his second-most as a Black Bear, along with five rebounds and three steals.

Steele finished with 11 in only 12 minutes of action.

Jaden Clayton and Mantis both finished with eight points.

Maine (0-1) returns to Orono as they host UMFK on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Tip off is scheduled for 6 P.M.

-UMaine-