ORONO – Monday night’s opponent wasn’t a team from a powerful conference such as the Atlantic Coast Conference, but the game provided reasons for optimism as the University of Maine men closed out their exhibition basketball season.

The Black Bears got balanced scoring, good defense, and a solid rebounding effort to defeat SportsPower USA 99-73 at Alfond Arena.

Senior forward Mark Flavin scored 16 points to lead a sextet of Maine double-digit scorers and also grabbed five boards.

“We’re posting up a lot harder and a lot stronger to get into position, and the guys did a great job bringing the ball up and getting it in there,” said Flavin, who scored 12 of his points in the second half. “Now that we’re playing more minutes, we feel a lot more comfortable.”

Sophomore shooting guard Kevin Reed enjoyed a sparkling overall effort with 14 points, a game-high 10 rebounds, and five assists.

The Black Bears, who open their regular season against ACC member Florida State University on Friday, finished a 6-0 preseason that included a four-game Canadian trip last month.

“I was pretty pleased. We played unselfishly,” said Maine coach John Giannini. “A few times when we drove we were out of control, but overall we played pretty hard. I think tonight’s effort was more consistent than our last game.”

The perimeter-based Black Bears shot 37 percent from 3-point range and 46.2 percent overall from the field.

Maine primarily used man-to-man defensive pressure to help force 24 SportsPower turnovers while committing 16 itself. Maine also outrebounded its opposition 44-35.

Maine’s four-guard system looked more polished Monday, and big men Flavin and David Dubois, who also looked much more comfortable in the pivot, appeared to benefit greatly. Dubois had eight points and six boards. Point guard Eric Dobson finished with 11 points and six rebounds.

“We just wanted to go out there and jump on them from the get-go and not give them too many open shots with our defense,” said Dobson, who dished out a game-high six assists. “It’s a lot easier for me running the point this year because I’m more comfortable.”

Maine’s starting five of Dobson, Ludmil Hadjisotirov (10 points), Reed, Dubois, and Bangor’s Joe Campbell (10 points, five steals) looked comfortable and in sync early on as they went on a 15-2 run and kept SportsPower scoreless for four minutes. Maine’s defense helped force 12 turnovers in the first half while the Bears committed six.

Kojo Mensah-Bonso, a former Washington State University forward, and Jeremiah Hamlett, a forward from Northwood University, led SportsPower with 20 points apiece. Former Husson College and Portland High star guard Robert Pilsbury had two points, two rebounds and an assist in 21 minutes. Ed Jones, the Maine Central Institute Postgrad head coach and a former Maine assistant basketball coach, had four points and four boards.

After taking a 15-point lead into halftime, Maine increased it to as much as 27 in the second half.

“We couldn’t rotate as effectively as they could and I think their depth helped, but they shot the ball very well,” said SportsPower coach Steve Shaw.

Shaw, who lives in Mars Hill, suited up seven players Monday.

The Bears outrebounded SportsPower 24-16 in the first half.

MAINE 99, SPORTSPOWER 73

SportsPower Maine

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

L. Jones 3 8 0 0 8 Dobson 4 8 11

Pilsbury 1 5 0 0 2 Hadjisotirov 4 10

Greig 7 15 0 0 17 Reed 5 12 14

Mensh-Bnso 10 19 0 4 20 Dubois 3 6 8

Zevenbaergn 1 3 0 0 2 Campbell 4 10

E. Jones 1 1 2 4 4 Wallingford 3 9

Hamlett 7 14 1 2 20 Petkus 3 6 8

Flavin 6 12 3 16

Jackson 4 12 1 11

Bruff 0 1 0 0

Ahvenniemi 1 2 2

Totals 30 65 3 10 73 37 79 12 13 99

SportsPower 25 73

Maine 38 99

3-pt. goals ? SportsPower (10-27): L. Jones 2-4, Pilsbury 0-2, Greig 3-9, Zevenbaergen 0-1, Hamlett 5-11; Maine (13-36): Dobson 1-2, Hadjisotirov 0-2, Reed 2-5, Campbell 2-4, Wallingford 3-4, Petkus 2-5, Flavin 1-5, Jackson 2-8, Bruff 0-1

Attendance: 853