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Men's Basketball Drops Close Game
Jan. 27, 2008
ORONO, Maine- The men's basketball team dropped a tough decision to Binghamton Sunday afternoon by the score of 69-58. With the win, Binghamton improved to 10-10 overall, and 6-2 in America East. Maine fell to 6-14 and 2-5 in America East. Maine was led by Kaimondre Owes (Brooklyn, New York) who had 15 points. Binghamton was led by Lazar Trifunovic (Belgrade, Serbia) who had 26 points and eight rebounds. Maine got off to a great start as Mark Socoby (Houlton, Maine) swished a three-pointer seconds into the game. The Black Bears had an early lead, but Binghamton came back to tie it at eight, six minutes into the game. The teams exchanged baskets until the Bearcats were able to take a four-point lead after making a three-pointer. The Bearcats took a five-point lead before Kaimondre Owes drained a shot in the corner from behind the arc. The teams battled, and the Black Bears closed the lead to two points, going into the lockerroom down 30-28. Maine was led in the first half by Owes who had nine points. Socoby added six points and Junior Bernal (Manhattan, New York) had seven rebounds to go with two points. Binghamton was led by Dwayne Jackson (Akron, Ohio) who had 12 points in the first stanza. The Black Bears shot 39 percent from the floor on nine-of-23 shooting while the Bearcats shot 48 percent on 12-of-25 shooting. The Black Bears dominated on the glass during the first 20 minutes, grabbing 20 boards to the Bearcats' 12. Binghamton scored the first seven points of the second half to take a nine point lead. Maine battled back and whittled the lead down to six, but Binghamton went on a run to take a 12-point lead with just under 10 minutes to go in the game. The resilient Black Bears came right back, and after a couple of stops Phil Tchekane Bofia (Yaounde, Cameroon) made a shot from behind the arc to cut the lead to seven.
The Bearcats made a three to increase their lead to double-digits, but Maine once again came back, cutting the lead to five on a nifty Bernal layup after spinning past a defender. The lead was down to three points as Socoby made a pair of free throws, the Bearcats came back and made back-to-back baskets to increase the lead to seven. Maine continued to battle hard, but the Bearcats made their free throws down the stretch. For the game, Maine shot 32 percent on 16-of-49 shooting to Binghamton's 47 percent on 24-for-51 shooting. Maine out-rebounded the Bearcats by a 40-to-27 margin. Bernal finished with nine points and 13 rebounds while Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine) pitched in with 10 points and seven rebounds. Jackson finished with 15 points for Binghamton. Bernal and Jordan Cook (Hampden, Maine) were part of over 230 Maine student athletes honored as scholar athletes at halftime. Maine returns to action on Wednesday night at 7:30 pm to battle the Boston University Terriers. Tickets are still available, and can be purchased by calling 581-BEAR or (800) 756-TEAM. |
