BURLINGTON, Vermont — The University of Vermont Catamounts hit 59 percent of their field goals and controlled the rebounding game to record an 85-68 men’s basketball victory over the University of Maine Black Bears in America East action Wednesday night at Patrick Gym.
The Catamounts connected on 34 of 61 shots from the floor, despite shooting two of 12 from 3-point range (16.7 percent). The Black Bears were held to a 24-for-58 effort (41.4 percent) from the floor but hit 11 of 22 shots (50 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Catamounts improved to 14-10 overall and 6-3 in America East while the Black Bears snapped a two-game winning streak and slipped to 8-14 and 4-5, respectively.
Ethan O’Day sparked Vermont with 23 points and eight rebounds while Darren Payen contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Catamounts out-rebound the Black Bears 42-23.
Trae Bell-Haynes and Dre Wills each chipped in with 11 points for Vermont and Drew Urquhart added 10.
Aaron Calixte scored 15 points to lead the Black Bears and nailed 3 of 3 shots from 3-point land. He also had five assists. Devin Eke added 14 points and eight rebounds while Issac Vann contributed 12.
Maine senior forward Till Gloger, who is averaging 9.1 points per game, did not make the trip because of an arm injury.
Vermont took a 33-30 lead at halftime and outscored Maine 52-38 after the break.
The lead seesawed for the first 10 minutes of the second half but after Calixte hit a jumper to tie it at 49 with 11:25 left in the game, the Catamounts ran off 14 unanswered points to pull away from the Black Bears.
Wills and Urquhart each scored five points to spark the surge.
Maine’s Ilija Stojiljkovic finally snapped the scoring drought when he hit a layup with 7:35 left, but Everett Duncan answered for Vermont with a 3-pointer on its next trip down and Maine could not cut into Vermont’s double-figure lead the rest of the way.