PORTLAND – Defense and guard play proved to be the difference in a matchup featuring plenty of height as the University of Maine men’s basketball team knocked off Dartmouth College 64-55 at Cumberland County Civic Center Tuesday night.

Maine’s backcourt duo of senior Ernest Turner and junior Rashard Turner scored 21 and 16 points, respectively, to lead the Black Bears to their third win of the season in the non-conference game.

Ernest Turner also made a game-high five steals to help lead a Maine defensive effort that helped produce 16 turnovers by the 1-3 Big Green.

“We try to bring defense every night and I think defense wins games and championships,” said Ernest Turner. “And any guy can step up on this team, from me to the eighth member of the bench.”

Beyond the Turners, Maine featured balanced scoring with Chris Bruff, Olli Ahvenniemi and Philippe Tchekane Bofia scoring nine points apiece.

Maine cleared out a bit of breathing room for itself with 7:24 to play as the Bears scored 10 of the next 14 points to go up 57-50 with 3:48 left. Both teams’ defenses then hunkered down and kept the scoreboard unchanged for almost three minutes before Maine slowed it down, forcing Dartmouth to foul with 54 seconds left.

“Whenever you can get a run, especially in a game like this, it’s usually big,” said Rashard Turner, who came to Maine as more of a shooting guard. “I just have to be consistent and watch my turnovers and run the team. I’m starting to get it. I have to think pass first and score second.”

He did that, dishing out a game-high six assists and committing just two turnovers in 31 minutes.

Rashard Turner went to the line with Maine in the double bonus and hit both to make it a three possession game. From then on, Maine’s defense allowed just one basket while Turner hit four more free throws and the Bears went 9-for-10 from the line in the final four minutes.

“I felt like we really locked down when we had to, but I think our defense has been a constant most of this season with us holding teams to 37 percent shooting or less in five of our last six games,” said Maine coach Ted Woodward, whose Bears are now 3-6.

Maine held its own inside with both teams grabbing 27 rebounds. Maine won the turnover battle with 11 and outshot the Big Green 47.6 percent to 45.1 percent from the field.

“They got out on us. We’ve been having great success with Jon [Sheets] and Ernest shooting the ball, but they covered them and that opened the lane a little more for Rashard and the big guys,” Woodward said.

Dartmouth coach Terry Dunn said the game came down to fouls and Maine’s balanced scoring.

“Them being in the 1-and-1early on [with 10:35 left in the second half] hurt us and Turner was 10-for-10 at the line. Meanwhile, they only had six fouls in the second half,” Dunn explained. “And they did a good job with their inside play if we took the 3 away. I guess you have to pick your poison with these guys.”

Maine, which had been averaging nine 3-pointers made per game (68-for-186 coming in), was just 2-for-8 Tuesday. Junior guard Jon Sheets, who came in averaging three 3-pointers and 11.4 points per game, was held scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting.

“All along, I was worried about their guard play. They’ve put up relatively good numbers and [Ernest] Turner had 15 at halftime,” said Dunn. “We were able to contest and contain their 3-point shot, but dribble penetration hurt us.”

The first half ended with the Ernest Turner show as he scored 11 of his 15 first half points to fuel a 10-2 run in the last five minutes that gave the Bears a 30-27 halftime lead.

Mike Lang was Dartmouth’s lone double-digit scorer with 12 points. Chuck Flynn had eight points, six rebounds, and five assists.

BLACK BEARS 64, BIG GREEN 55

Dartmouth (1-3) Maine (3-6)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Flynn 3 5 2 2 8 Ahvenniemi 3 9

Arnold 0 5 0 0 0 Tchekane 3 11 3 5 9

Ball 1 3 2 2 4 R. Turner 3 4 10 10 16

Lang 5 11 0 0 12 E. Turner 8 16 21

Giovacchini 3 7 0 0 7 Sheets 0 5 0

Mosley 0 1 0 0 0 Bruff 3 3 9

Pattman 4 6 0 0 9 Hight 0 0 0

Meyer 4 6 0 0 9 Petkus 0 0 0

Barnett 1 3 0 0 2

Biber 0 0 0 0 0

Bode 2 4 0 0 4

Totals 23 51 4 4 55 20 42 22 28 64

Dartmouth 27 55

Maine 30 64

3-pt. goals – Dartmouth (5-17): Lang 2-5, Giovacchini 1-3, Pattman 1-2, Meyer 1-2, Barnett 0-1, Bode 0-1, Mosley 0-1; Maine (2-8): E. Turner 2-5, R. Turner 0-1, Sheets 0-2

Attendance: 837