On Jan. 30, the University of Maine men’s basketball team had an 8-13 record, including a 4-4 mark in America East play and appeared headed toward a breakthrough season.
The Black Bears went on to lose all eight of their games in February.
On Wednesday night, UMaine has the opportunity to erase the frustration of the past month when it takes on Vermont in an America East men’s basketball quarterfinal at Patrick Gym in Burlington, Vermont.
Coach Bob Walsh said sixth-seeded UMaine must remain aggressive and confident against No. 3 Vermont on the road.
“In the postseason, teams that are scared, teams that are tentative, go home,” Walsh said. “We want guys that are ready to attack, be aggressive, take chances, take a risk, and make a play.”
Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. The winner advances to the semifinals on Monday.
The Black Bears are not the same team that turned heads with a Jan. 15 win over Albany or overcame two seven-point overtime deficits to beat Hartford on Jan. 27.
UMaine, which for much of the season hung its hat on its relentless full-court pressure, has been forced to back off a bit because of personnel losses.
In addition to sophomore guard and offensive catalyst Kevin Little’s season-ending foot injury and the illness (mononucleosis) of freshman backup guard Ryan Bernstein, junior guard Troy Reid-Knight is sidelined again.
Reid-Knight, who has suffered seven concussions while at UMaine, needed four stitches in his mouth after a collision with a player in the Feb. 24 Hartford game, then wasn’t feeling well after logging nine minutes in the regular-season finale at Binghamton.
“He was cleared to play, but he wasn’t feeling good,” Walsh said of Saturday’s game.
“We tried to get him going in practice and see what he could do and he just wasn’t feeling right, so he’s not going to play.”
Walsh won’t use the injuries as an excuse, but losing three of his top six guards will continue to impact UMaine’s ability to press and create a fast tempo.
“When our pressure has gotten to them and they haven’t been able to settle into their half-court sets, we’ve been successful (in stretches),” Walsh said.
“We’ve got to do it (press), we’ve got to be a little more selective with it, but I think they’re too good of a team for us to beat over 40 minutes (if we don’t),” he added.
Vermont takes a conference-best, five-game win streak into Wednesday’s contest. The Catamounts capped the regular season on Saturday by knocking off No. 1 Stony Brook on Long Island.
“They’re a really good defensive team, especially when their feet are set and are in position,” Walsh said. “We’ve got to move them around a little bit to create driving angles to be able to create plays.”