VESTAL, N.Y. – The regular season was a struggle for the University of Maine men’s basketball team.

Even so, there were a few bright spots.

The Black Bears knocked off America East regular-season champion Maryland Baltimore County and No. 3 seed Albany, both on the road.

While injury and illness at the point guard position slowed the development of coach Ted Woodward’s team in recent weeks, UMaine has shown the ability to compete with the league’s best.

The ninth-seeded Bears (7-22) hope to rediscover the chemistry that made them tough to play earlier in the season when they face No. 8 Stony Brook (6-22) in tonight’s 7 o’clock play-in game of the America East Championship at Binghamton University’s Events Center in Vestal, N.Y.

The winner advances to take on No. 1 UMBC in Saturday’s noon quarterfinal contest.

Postseason play marks a new beginning for a UMaine team that features only one senior and three upperclassmen.

“We know we can play some good basketball,” said senior center Brian Andre of Bingham. “We have beaten some good teams, so right now we know it’s do or die. We’ve just got to lay everything on the line.”

Despite relying heavily on several underclassmen, the Bears look to put it all together during the tournament.

“I feel good coming into the tournament,” said junior guard Kaimondre Owes, who has emerged as UMaine’s floor leader since becoming eligible for the second semester.

“Everybody’s going in with one mindset and that’s to win,” he said.

One key element that will improve the Bears’ chances in the postseason is the presence of sophomore point guard Junior Bernal. He missed five games with a significant ankle injury before returning to log 16 minutes in UMaine’s loss at Vermont last weekend.

“He’s our captain and so much goes through him,” Woodward said. “Before he got hurt, he went 10 games with no more than two turnovers in a game. He’s able to handle pressure.”

Though Bernal isn’t back to 100 percent, his leadership and experience on the floor could help the Bears cut down on their propensity to commit turnovers (18.7 per game).

And Stony Brook likely will press UMaine, as has been the opponents’ approach of late.

“That’s what it’s going to come down to, turnovers, defending and making free throws,” Owes said of keys for the Bears against the Seawolves.

Woodward said his players must approach the tournament with confidence and not worry about some of the challenges they faced during the regular season.

“I think they understand that they certainly have the potential to beat Stony Brook and the potential to beat UMBC or whoever’s next,” Woodward said.

That said, UMaine must execute well in all facets of the game to succeed.

“Our margin of error is not that high,” he added. “We know that we have to do a good job defensively, get on the boards, do a good job taking care of the basketball and we need contributions across the board. When those things have all happened together, we’ve had some very good basketball games against some very good teams.”

Tonight marks the first collegiate postseason game for UMaine’s Mark Socoby. The sophomore from Houlton missed last year’s AE tourney with the flu.

Socoby is actually recovering from a bout with the flu that kept him out of action for several days.

Perhaps no one on the team has more to play for than Andre, who faces the prospect of having his career end.

“It’s definitely a big motivation factor,” Andre said. “It’ll be the last time I’m lacing up collegiately, so I definitely want to go out on a high note, make a little bit of a run in the tournament.”

pwarner@bangordailynews.net

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