For the third time in three years, the University of Maine men’s basketball team’s season ended on a Sunday, in Newark, Del., after a loss in the America East semifinals.

This year, though, things were a bit different.

There were none of those “what-ifs” that accompanied losses to host Delaware in front of a hostile crowd the first two years. There were none of the “can-you-believes” that followed the loss in 2000, when the semifinal loss was a mere technicality after star point guard Andy Bedard broke his wrist in the quarters.

After losing to the hottest team in the nation despite shooting 76 percent from the floor in the first half and holding Hofstra star Norman Richarson without a field goal, the Bears weren’t somber this time around.

Instead, the mood was upbeat; the returnees hungry; the soon-to-be grads confident that the program would take a step forward next season after finishing up with an 18-11 record.

Despite losing virtually its entire frontcourt – first-team all-conference pick Carvell Ammons, second-teamer Julian Dunkley, and the program’s winningest player in history, Colin Haynes – coach John Giannini knew why the Bears were already talking about October and the start of practice.

“I think our coaches and our returning players both feel that the trade of Justin [Rowe], Clayton [Brown] and Rickey [White] for Carvell, Julian and Colin is at least equal,” Giannini said.

Add that to an intact backcourt – juniors Huggy Dye and Errick Greene, sophomore Derrick Jackson and freshman Tory Cavalieri, and the Bears appear to have the makings of a solid conference contender again.

Adding to the optimism is this nugget, also not overlooked by Giannini: Graduation losses will vastly change the landscape of the league.

“There were a lot of very proven veterans in the league this year,” Giannini said. “I really think next year’s conference is extremely wide open.”

Want some proof? In all, 13 of the 15 players who were named to the three America East all-star teams won’t be back next year. The conference’s top six scorers and eight of its top nine rebounders are included in that pack of 2001 grads.

Giannini’s hopes for the 2001-2002 season are tempered with the knowledge that this year’s squad underachieved at times, and struggled to play consistent basketball.

Still, he said the potential upside outweighs his concerns.

“[The players] … are excited about the potential of this team, especially if we can clean up some of the breakdowns and chemistry problems we had this year,” Giannini said.

Chief among those chemistry concerns is figuring out how to use Dye. The 6-foot-2 guard was selected as one of the league’s top five stars in a preseason poll, but struggled during the year and didn’t earn mention on any of the postseason all-star squads.

Dye’s performance – and how he dealt with it -proved to be a disruption, and he was benched for the regular-season finale and didn’t start either playoff contest.

The biggest reason for that optimism has nothing to do with the returnees, however.

It has to do with Rowe, a 7-foot, 1/2-inch transfer from Clearwater (Fla.) Christian College who has already been tagged with a catchy nickname: The Big Rush.

Giannini said the name stemmed from a team practical joke, as players often told other students on campus that the monstrous center was a new addition from Russia. That was shortened to “Rush.”

Giannini tries not to overestimate his potential impact, but does admit that he expects Rowe to have games in which he blocks 10 to 12 shots. His players agree.

Among the rave reviews:

. “He’s real disruptive. He’s like a big wall down there. There’s no way that somebody can go in the middle and toss up a real easy shot and not expect him to contest it,” White said.

. “He’s like a human eraser,” Dunkley said. “He just gets everything out of there. The biggest thing about him: He changes everyone’s shot.”

. “He’s the only guy I’ve ever hesitated going up on,” Ammons admitted.

. “Big Rush. Every time I think of him I’ve just got a big smile on my face,” Greene said. “There’s nobody in this league who’s gonna be able to stop him, either. I’m just looking forward to having the big fella on our side.”

Cavalieri, who saw more and more time at the point and started the final three games of the year, is looking forward to seeing what the future holds.

“I feel we’ve got a good bunch of guys we can work with and build something with,” Cavalieri said.