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ORONO – Faced with the possibility of a four-game losing streak and becoming further entrenched in America East’s second tier standings, the University of Maine parlayed a career-best offensive effort from Clayton Brown, solid defense, and better offensive execution into a big win.
Brown scored a career-high 31 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Black Bears past Hartford 82-71 at Alfond Arena Sunday afternoon.
“I think a game like this helps us and it gives me a lot of confidence,” said Brown, who became a regular off the bench after beginning the season as a starter. “I felt like I could score on anybody on the floor and I hope it carries over again and again. I’m just trying to salvage what I can out of the rest of the season.”
The 6-foot-7, 225-pound senior forward from New Jersey salvaged Maine’s inside game after 7-foot center Justin Rowe went to the bench with his second foul just 93 seconds into the game.
“I just got it going. I don’t know how to explain it. They never doubled me much, so I just tried to take advantage,” said Brown.
Maine improved to 9-12 overall and 4-5 in America East. The Hawks are now 10-10 (5-4).
“I think we caught Hartford at a tough time in their schedule with three games in five days and back-to-back games on the road,” said Maine coach John Giannini. “Our effort was good, but at the same time, we didn’t play a particularly good game.”
Maine used a 10-2 run midway through the first half to take the lead for good and go up 20-12 with 11:02 left. A 9-2 run at the end of the half that carried a minute into the second gave Maine a 40-27 lead with 19 minutes to play.
A late 10-1 Maine run all but iced the game for the Bears as they took a 66-44 lead with 5:26 to play, although the Hawks did stage a rally. Hawks junior guard Jerell Parker hit all four of his 3-pointers and scored 16 of his 26 points in the final five minutes, 11 seconds to cut a 24-point Maine lead with two minutes left to nine with 35 seconds left. But they would get no closer as Parker fouled out with 16 seconds left and Maine hit seven of 10 foul shots in the final 49 seconds.
Although Hartford became the first conference team to outrebound the Bears with a 49-39 overall edge on the boards, head coach Larry Harrison wasn’t happy with his team’s play.
“I just think they out-toughed us today,” said Harrison. “We’re normally a very physical and aggressive team, and I don’t know if after Rowe got out, we relaxed or whatever, but they outplayed us physically and that normally doesn’t happen.”
Rowe finished the game with eight points, nine rebounds, and eight blocks despite sitting out all but those first 93 seconds of the first half.
Junior guard Thomas Hill got the start in place of Eric Dobson, who’s leading the league in assists, because Dobson missed a team function. Hill made the most of his opportunity by dishing out a game-high six assists.
“He does a good job of making sure we run things and that the ball gets where it needs to go,” Giannini said. “I think our guards forced a lot less today and let things come to them.”
Junior Ludmil Hadjisotirov played his first game in three weeks after spraining an ankle and responded with 14 points.
“This is like my second comeback, being on and off with all these injuries, but it was good for me,” Hadjisotirov said. “The most important thing is we won the game.”
Freshman guard Kevin Reed chipped in with 13 points as the Black Bears outshot Hartford 51.8 to 31.9 percent from the field. Turnovers, a thorn in Maine’s side all season, were even with 14 per team.
Parker, the only Hartford player with more than nine points, also led the team with 12 rebounds.
Seven different players had either six or more rebounds or three or more assists for Maine.
BLACK BEARS 82, HAWKS 71
Hartford (10-10) Maine (9-12)
Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP
Parker 9 15 4 7 26 Reed 5 13 13
McClinton 2 5 1 2 7 Hill 0 2 1
Stys 2 10 0 0 5 Jackson 1 2 4 6
Odugbela 2 6 0 0 4 White 2 6 7
Johnson 2 10 3 6 7 Rowe 4 5 8
Cook 1 9 6 7 9 Dobson 1 2 0 2
Bosley 1 3 0 0 2 Hadjisotirov 4 14
Amous 2 7 0 0 5 Petkus 0 2 0
Swan 1 5 0 0 2 Flavin 0 0 0 0
Regan 1 2 2 2 4 Dubois 0 0 Campbell 0 0 0 0 0
Brown 12 18 5 31
Totals 23 72 16 24 71 29 56 17 29 82
Hartford 27 71
Maine 38 82
3-pt. goals: Hartford (9-16): Parker 4-4, McClinton 2-3, Cook 1-2, Amous 1-2, Stys 1-5; Maine (7-22): Reed 3-9, Hadjisotirov 2-3, Brown 2-5, Hill 0-1, Jackson 0-1, Dobson 0-1, Petkus 0-2
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