Newark, N.J. – The University of Maine basketball team picked up their first America East Conference win of the season as they took down NJIT, 74-70.
 
The Black Bears jumped out to an early lead as they knocked down four of their first six shots and two of three from the free throw line as the score stood at 11-5 a little over five minutes into the contest.
 
Make continued their hot start as they knocked down their first six three-pointers as a team, pushing their lead up to nine-points with a little over five minutes to go in the first half.
 
The Black Bears took an eight-point advantage into the break as they led, 37-29.
 
Maine shot 61.9% from the field and 63.6% from three-point range as a team, led by TJ Biel's 11 points.
 
Yanis Bamba had six points off the bench while every Black Bear who saw action in the opening half scored at least two points.
 
NJIT opened up the second half on a 14-0 run to flip the score in their favor.
 
After falling behind by as many as six points in the second half, the Black Bears retook the lead with 7:53 to go in the second half on a slam dunk for Keelan Steele.
 
Maine was able to maintain their lead as they hit their free throws down the stretch, coming away with the victory, 74-70.
 
Notes:

• Biel led the way with 21 points, his third-straight game with 20 or more points.
• Bamba (14), Logan Carey (11) and Ace Flagg (10) all reached double-digits in scoring.
• Maine shot their third-best percentage from the field (53.3%) and second-best percentage from behind the three-point arc (45%) in the win.
• The 13 turnovers committed by Maine was their fifth-lowest mark of the season. 

The Black Bears (3-15) conclude their three-game road trip on Thursday, Jan. 15 as they head to Burlington to take on Vermont. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 PM.
 
-UMaine-