BANGOR, Maine — The University of Maine men’s basketball team has struggled mightily this season.
When the Black Bears encountered perennial league power Stony Brook on Saturday afternoon, their deficiencies were further magnified.
Stony Brook and reigning America East Player of the Year Jameel Warney arrived at the Cross Insurance Center on Saturday afternoon and pretty much mopped the floor with the Black Bears, cruising to an 82-39 victory.
Stony Brook shot 60 percent from the field and hit 10 3-pointers while limiting UMaine to 27 percent shooting and dominating the rebounding 39-24 in a lopsided matinee in front of a good crowd announced at 1,723.
“What we did today was 100 percent unacceptable,” said first-year UMaine head coach Bob Walsh of his team’s 11th straight loss.
“They were getting the shots that they wanted. They were forcing us to take the shots that they wanted us to take. We were never comfortably in that game,” he added.
Carson Puriefoy led the Seawolves (11-7, 2-1 AE) with 18 points, five assists and two steals, while Warney tossed in 14 points and Roland Nyama netted 12 points.
Former Nokomis High School star Chris Braley of Newport provided two points and four rebounds during a 12-minute stint in front of family and friends.
“Everybody was involved today and I liked that,” said Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell. “We were passing the ball really well. We were on top of our game in a lot of places.”
Freshman guard Aaron Calixte paced UMaine (1-15, 0-4 AE) with 11 points and Garet Beal of Beals Island contributed nine points, four rebounds and three assists. Till Gloger added eight points and Shaun Lawton chipped in six points, five rebounds and five steals.
However, the Bears had trouble executing their offense and committed 16 turnovers that led to 23 SBU points.
“It was a tough loss,” said Lawton, a junior guard. “I don’t think we came in here ready to fight. They brought the energy and we just backed down.
“Everybody on the team likes each other. There’s no commotion within the team,” he added. “Everybody’s like brothers. When we get on the court, we’ve got to play like brothers. I don’t feel like we’ve been playing as a unit.”
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Zarko Valjarevic and Lawton had the Black Bears within 18-16 with 11:14 to play in the first half. When the period ended, the Seawolves were in command with a 41-16 lead.
Stony Brook ended the half on a 23-0 surge that covered 9:54, sparked by seven points each from Puriefoy and Nyama. The visitors shot 63 percent (17-for-27) from the field and forced several of the Bears’ 12 turnovers.
UMaine went 0-for-8 from the floor and committed seven turnovers during the aforementioned offensive drought. The Bears shot only 30 percent overall, which included 2-for-10 shooting inside the 3-point arc.
Stony Brook led 22-16 when it started clicking at both ends. Puriefoy got things started with an 8-foot pull-up jumper from the paint and he followed a Tyrell Sturdivant foul shot with a 3-pointer in transition.
The Seawolves committed back-to-back turnovers before going back on the assault. Bryan Sekunda and Nyama each buried a 3-pointer, then Nyama canned a 16-foot jumper that pushed the lead to 36-16 with 2:21 remaining in the half.
SBU scored the last five points of the period to extend their lead to 25 points.
UMaine’s offensive woes continued into the second half. Calixte’s 3-pointer at the 18:08 mark finally ended the void, which covered 13:06. The Bears missed 12 consecutive shots and committed eight turnovers in that span.
“I think our guys understand our approach, I think they get the message,” Walsh said. “I haven’t done a good enough job of getting our guys to execute that message every day and I’ve just got to do a better job of that.”
UMaine was again without sophomore forward Marko Pirovic, who started six of his first nine games but has missed the last nine contests after re-aggravating a foot injury.
Pirovic was in street clothes and sat in the stands two rows behind the UMaine bench, rather than alongside his teammates.
“He’s just taking the break,” was Walsh’s explanation of why Pirovic sat in the stands. “He’s got a foot issue where he might have to end up having a surgery and he’s a taking a little time to sort it out, figure it out.”
The Bears also did not have the services of Troy Reid-Knight. The sophomore guard, who had appeared in 15 straight games, reportedly was sidelined with a head injury.
He participated in Friday’s practice at the Cross Insurance Center.
UMaine also plays its next two games at home as part of doubleheaders with the women’s team. The Bears face New Jersey Institute of Technology on Monday at 1 p.m. and take on the University of Maryland Baltimore County on Thursday at 8 p.m.