UMaine trips up Princeton in OT Owes, Bernal help unbeaten Black Bears record third straight victory

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PRINCETON, N.J. – The University of Maine men are off to a 3-0 start to the basketball season after a 58-55 overtime victory over Princeton University Wednesday night.

Max Huc’s 3-pointer to tie the game at the buzzer missed and the Black Bears escaped with their third straight road game victory.

“We certainly didn’t play our best ball tonight by any means, but part of that is how Princeton plays,” said Maine head coach Ted Woodward. “They lull you to sleep sometimes with that patient, deliberate system they operate out of.”

Maine was outrebounded 25-15 on the offensive boards and 39-25 overall, but Maine offset that with defense, specifically holding Princeton to one point while outscoring the Tigers 7-1 in the last four minutes of regulation.

Maine guard Junior Bernal scored three points and Kaimondre Owes four for the Bears in the 7-1 run. Bernal hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 51-51 with 59 seconds left, and the game went to overtime after a Princeton turnover.

A layup by Princeton’s Max Huc tied the game at 55-55 with 1:50 remaining in overtime before Bernal was fouled on Maine’s next possession and hit both shots.

“I’m surprised we didn’t do as good a job as we’re accustomed to, rebounding-wise, but we pulled together when we needed to and put ourselves in a position to win,” Woodward said.

The Black Bears committed just 10 total turnovers while helping create 19 Tigers turnovers with nine steals. Troy Barnies of Auburn, Malachi Peay and Gerald McLemore each had two.

“Princeton’s not a team that’s going to turn it over much, but our points up and down the lineup and fighting through adversity are what please me the most,” Woodward said. “We got a lot of smaller contributions from nine guys.”

Senior guard Owes came off the bench to lead the Bears’ balanced scoring attack with 11 points while junior guard Bernal finished with 10. Sophomore forward Sean McNally of Gardiner had nine points and six rebounds.

The Tigers torched Maine from the perimeter in the first half by hitting 5 of 10 3-pointers, but hit only one of 10 the rest of the way.

“We got beat to a lot of loose balls and spots in the first half and they were shooting with a lot of confidence in the first half,” said Woodward. “We played harder and mixed it up with man-to-man defense and zone.”

Freshman guard Andrew Rogers scored seven points off the bench. Malachi Peay had five.

BLACK BEARS 58, TIGERS 55 (OT)

Maine (3-0) Princeton (0-2)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Barnies 3 5 0 0 6 Saunders 0 0

McNally 4 7 1 1 9 Maddox 3 8 7

Bernal 3 9 4 6 10 Buczak 1 3 4

Socoby 0 6 2 2 2 Briggs 0 2 0

McLemore 2 8 0 0 6 Davis 6 12 14

Rogers 2 2 1 2 7 Huc 4 6 9

Owes 4 8 3 5 11 Finley 3 6 2 8

Peay 2 6 1 2 5 Mvraides 5 12 13

Chetinov 1 1 0 0 2

Totals 21 52 12 18 58 Totals 22 50 55

Maine 27 51 58

Princeton 31 51 55

3-pt. goals – Maine (4-12): Rogers 2-2, McLemore 2-5, Bernal 0-1, Owes 0-1, Socoby 0-3; Princeton (6-20): Mavraides 3-6, Davis 2-5, Maddox 1-5, Briggs 0-1, Huc 0-1, Buczak 0-2

Attendance: 1,555