BANGOR, Maine — Coach Bob Walsh has been concerned early this season about his team’s response to difficult circumstances.
On Wednesday afternoon, the University of Maine demonstrated its collective resolve against Longwood University.
The Black Bears built an 18-point lead, then rebuffed the Lancers’ second-half challenges to claim a 92-82 men’s basketball victory at the Cross Insurance Center.
“It was important for us to win, but to win that way, I think, was important because we had to face a little bit of adversity,” Walsh said. “Getting over the hump to win was making those toughness plays when things don’t go your way.”
Beals Island’s Garet Beal scored a career-best 23 points as UMaine (1-3) snapped a nine-game losing streak. The junior swingman went 6-for-9 from the 3-point arc and 7-for-10 overall as Bears shot 50 percent (31-for-62).
“It felt great. I think we went out and competed really well offensively,” Beal said.
“[The keys were] our drive-and-kicks, and we looked opposite [side of the floor] and got a lot of clean catches and a lot of good looks,” he added. “Everybody had a lot of confidence shooting the ball.”
UMaine prevailed even after freshman leading scorer Issac Vann suffered a right ankle injury early in the second half. He finished with 14 points.
Sophomore guard Aaron Calixte registered 14 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a steal, classmate Kevin Little posted 10 points and five assists, and freshman Devine Eke added eight points and eight rebounds.
UMaine, which racked up 23 assists, also stuck 16 of 33 shots from the 3-point line.
“That’s how we always try to play, unselfish, try to make our teammates better at all times,” Calixte said. “Making that extra pass is a big thing that coach has emphasized.”
UMaine missed nine of its 23 free throws but outrebounded the Lancers 43-42.
Lotanna Nwogbu led Longwood (2-4) of Farmville, Virginia, with 17 points and nine rebounds, Leron Fisher tallied 15 points, and Khris Lane added 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Bears led by six at halftime and extended it with a 15-8 run. Till Gloger scored from underneath off an Ilija Stojiljkovic feed, then Little answered a 3-pointer by Longwood’s Darrion Allen with an 18-footer.
Allen made another long jumper, but Little drained a 3-pointer and Eke banked in a 10-footer. Then, after Shields converted a conventional three-point play, Beal and Little hit 3-pointers 28 seconds apart to make it 58-43 with 13:32 left.
Longwood chipped away and rallied within 73-66 on two Fisher free throws with 5:26 left, but Eke made two foul shots and dunked in transition off a Calixte feed to keep UMaine in front.
“We can’t go into a prevent offense,” Walsh said. “To win games, you’ve got to keep playing.
“I thought we won that game by making shots. That looks good and it’s fun, but we’ve got to be tough enough when those shots, when they’re not going in, to dig in and get stops.”