HARTFORD – Casey Arena scored 20 points and the University of Maine Black Bears came out smoking in the first half to earn a 92-67 North Atlantic Conference victory over the University of Hartford Friday night.

The Black Bears made 22 of 33 shots (67 percent) from the field in the first half to race out to a 55-33 lead and Hartford never got within 19 in the second half. Maine shot 54 percent for the game.

Maine improved to 13-10 overall and 10-5 in the NAC. Hartford dropped to 4-19 and 4-11. Maine is now in a three-way tie for second-place in the NAC with Towson State and Boston University.

Drexel clinched the regular-season NAC crown Friday night by beating Towson State 75-56.

Arena, who made seven of 10 attempts from the floor, also dished out six assists and made four steals. Ramone Jones and Donny Ledbetter (7-of-8) each added 15 points and Matt Moore contributed 14 points to the well-balanced Maine attack.

Ryan Howse led the Hawks with 17 points. Justin Bailey added 13 and Mike Richardson had 11. Former Camden-Rockport star Dale Lindrith scored seven points and grabbed four rebounds.

A 3-pointer by Arena highlighted an 11-2 run which gave Maine a 29-8 lead 10 minutes into the first half.

Richardson hit a baseline jumper to make it 36-22 with 6:13 left in the half, but Hartford would never get any closer.

Greg Logan grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for Maine and Ledbetter had eight.

Maine will stay on the road to face Vermont on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Burlington.

Black Bears 92, Hawks 67

Maine (13-10) Hartford (4-19)

Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP

Gordon 4 10 0 0 9 Ford 0 2 0 0 0

Arena 7 10 3 3 20 Howse 7 9 3 4 17

Keeling 0 1 0 0 0 Smith 2 6 0 0 6

Moore 5 13 2 2 14 Griffin 0 3 0 0 0

Thompson 3 3 0 0 6 Richardson 4 14 3 3 11

Jones 5 9 3 3 15 Bailey 5 11 3 3 13

Reynolds 0 2 0 0 0 Brown 1 4 0 0 2

Thomas 1 4 1 2 3 Young 2 2 0 0 4

Long 1 1 0 1 2 Tabb 1 7 0 0 3

Ledbetter 7 8 1 1 15 Hannah 1 3 0 0 2

Logan 3 6 2 7 8 Landrith 1 1 5 5 7

Eames 1 3 0 0 2

Totals 36 67 12 19 92 Totals 25 65 14 15 67

Maine 55 92

Hartford 33 67

3-pt. goals: Maine 8-18: Arena 3-5, Moore 2-3, Gordon 1-6; Hartford 3-18: Smith 2-3, Tabb 1-5, Richardson 0-3, Bailey 0-3, Ford 0-2, Griffin 0-1, Brown 0-1