OK, I’m the first one to admit that one doesn’t usually expect deep, philosophical thinking on the sports pages. However, with the University of Maine men’s basketball team one victory from its first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, it’s time to be a little progressive.

So, here’s a message for the Black Bears as they prepare for Saturday’s America East Conference championship against the University of Vermont Catamounts:

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

That quotation is from George Santayana (1863-1952), a famous philosopher, poet, essayist and novelist.

Despite the simplicity and power of Santayana’s words, some have chosen otherwise and repeated history. In the case of the Black Bears, they have lost in their three previous attempts in a conference final: to Northeastern in 1991, to Drexel in 1994 and to Boston University in 2002.

Here’s a brief recap of those title games – through Bangor Daily News stories by Mike Dowd, Pete Warner and John Holyoke – and the lessons the Black Bears shouldn’t repeat.

March 9, 1991: Northeastern 57, Maine 46, at Boston.

Led by senior guard and North Atlantic Conference Tournament MVP Ron Lacey’s 18-point, 5-steal performance, the veteran Huskies shut down Maine offensive mainstays Derrick Hodge and Francois Bouchard and generally exposed the freshman-laden Black Bears as a team too inexperienced to go to the national tourney.

Maine (13-16) was left with a long offseason to ponder a performance that saw the team shoot 35 percent from the floor, 1-for-12 on 3-pointers, and turn the ball over 21 times, leading directly to 17 points on the other end for NU. It was hardly the kind of show the Bears wanted to put on for an ESPN-TV audience and 2,553 fans in attendance.

Third-year Black Bear coach Rudy Keeling could only pay tribute to NU’s quick, help-out man-to-man defense, which double-teamed Maine inside scoring mainstay Bouchard every time he touched the ball, limiting the NAC Rookie of the Year to two points on only four shots.

March 9, 1994: Drexel 86, Maine 78, at Philadelphia.

Drexel University fed off the emotion of a jam-packed house of 2,300 rabid fans while claiming the title. The tension built with each possession, but as the clock ticked down, the Dragons buckled down.

Drexel’s man-to-man defense didn’t falter in the waning moments, and the Dragons put it away with clutch foul shooting down the stretch. Cornelius Overby converted on five of six free throws in the final 48 seconds, and Brian Holden made a pair as Drexel iced the victory.

Malik Rose, who powered Drexel with 19 points, 16 rebounds and six blocks, earned the inaugural Reggie Lewis Award as the NAC Tourney’s MVP.

March 9, 2002: Boston University 66, Maine 40, at Boston.

A national TV audience watched as Boston University first dismantled Maine’s defenses, then exploited the Bears’ anemic offense, then turned the second half into a 20-minute celebration of the Terriers’ first NCAA tourney bid since 1997.

The lead was 19 at the half, peaking at 33, and the Terriers coasted the rest of the way.

The Terriers hit four of their first five 3-pointers – and 11 of their first 15 – while softening up the Black Bear defense.

Maine coach John Giannini said the early problems were caused not by lax perimeter defense, but by post players who didn’t carry out their assignments when they were required to step outside.

To sum up these lessons of Maine Basketball Title History 101, the games seem to have a common theme: play good defense, don’t turn the ball over, sink your free throws, hit your 3-pointers, and don’t let your opponent hit their 3-pointers.

Sure, it looks easy in black and white, but consider that the Black Bears have one good omen on their side: Each one of their three championship losses occurred on March 9. This season’s title game is on March 13 – now that’s a lucky number.

Sports editor Joe McLaughlin can be 990-8229 or jmclaughlin@bangordailynews.net