BANGOR, Maine — The University of Maine men’s basketball team was very much in position to win a basketball game on Tuesday night.
Instead, the Black Bears could not make enough plays down the stretch to pull out a victory.
Garet Beal missed two free throws with 11.2 seconds left and Shaun Lawton’s long 3-pointer bounced off the rim with two seconds left as UMaine came up short in a 62-59 America East setback to UMass Lowell at the Cross Insurance Center.
“It was a tough one to take,” said UMaine coach Bob Walsh, whose Black Bears slipped to 1-15 (0-4 AE) with their 10th consecutive loss.
The losing streak is the longest since UMaine lost 10 in a row to end the 2007-08 season.
“We had plays we could have made down the stretch. It’s one of those games where one play either way is going to win it or lose it. Give UMass Lowell credit. They made plays down the stretch,” Walsh added.
The River Hawks (9-8, 2-1 AE) overcame the Black Bears in large part because of their defensive effort. The visitors helped force several of UMaine’s 11 turnovers in the second half, miscues that led directly to 12 points in the half.
“Sometimes we just get careless with the ball, we’re not being strong with the ball,” said UMaine freshman guard Aaron Calixte, “and that could be some of the reason for the turnovers that we had in the [second] half.”
Calixte tied a career best with nine assists and had only two turnovers. He added four points and four rebounds.
The turnover woes deflected attention from UMaine’s gritty man-to-man defense. The hosts held the River Hawks to 39 percent shooting in the second half and 44 percent overall (24-for-54).
The Black Bears also outrebounded UMass Lowell 36-24.
The River Hawks took the lead for good behind a 6-0 run that included two baskets by the versatile Jahad Thomas (15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals).
UMaine twice trimmed the deficit to one point, the latter on Lawton’s offensive rebound and free throw that got the Bears within 60-59 with 1:09 to play.
A turnover led to a missed foul shot by Lance Crawford (8 points) with 24 seconds remaining and Beal drove the lane and got fouled with 11.2 seconds left.
However, he missed both ends and the Bears fouled. Thomas sank both, setting up the long 3 by Lawton as time expired.
“Our guys kept fighting, gave themselves a chance to win and we’re really happy to get another road victory,” said UML coach Pat Duquette.
Senior sharp-shooter Zarko Valjarevic went 7-for-12 from the 3-point arc on his way to a game-high 23 points for UMaine. However, 17 of those came in the first half and he went 2-for-6 after the break.
“The game was close the whole 40 minutes, but it comes down to the last five minutes,” Valjarevic said. “We didn’t execute, we didn’t make the plays that we should [have] made.”
Till Gloger provided 14 points and six rebounds and Beal posted 10 points and five rebounds. Lawton chipped in with five points, six rebounds, six assists and a steal.
Tyler Livingston chipped in with 13 points for UML.
Duquette said the River Hawks made a more concerted effort to limit Valjarevic’s touches in the second half.
“That was obviously our big adjustment at the half was to prevent him from getting too many open looks. He’s a hell of a shooter,” Duquette said.
Walsh, while disappointed, pointed to his team’s collective resolve.
“We’ve had a tough run, but our guys, there’s no finger-pointing, there’s no blame, there’s no questioning,” Walsh said. “We had 19 assists on 22 baskets tonight, so we have it in us.”
UMaine was without freshman guard Kevin Little, who was ill, and sophomore forward Marko Pirovic (foot injury).
UML did not have starting point guard Marco Banegas-Flores and backup guard Matt Harris available.
UMaine shot 46 percent (22-for-48) overall and 40 percent (10-for-25) from the 3-point line, but missed four of nine free throws.
The first half was a stalemate as the teams were tied at 34.
The Black Bears shot 52 percent (13-for-25) sparked by Valjarevic, who hit five of seven from the 3-point arc on his way to 17 first-half points. The hosts also went 7-for-14 from long distance.
UMass Lowell also had a strong offensive half and connected at 50 percent (13-for-26). Holley finished with 10 points for the River Hawks, who also were 4-for-8 from the 3-point arc.
UML made the first move, rattling off a 13-2 run during a span of 3:11 to turn a six-point deficit into a 23-18 lead with 9:03 left in the half.
UMaine responded shortly thereafter with a 10-0 burst, one that included two 3-pointers by Valjarevic. Calixte opened the run with a foul-line jumper in transition, then fed Valjarevic for a 3 after a UML miss.
Gloger then scored off a penetrate-and-dish move by Calixte, and Erik Nissen’s steal led to another transition 3 by Valjarevic that gave the Black Bears a 31-25 lead with 4:18 to play in the half.
However, Holley canned two long jumpers and a 3-pointer during a 9-3 burst to end the half that sent the teams into the locker room tied up.