The University of Maine men’s basketball team got its final regular-season tuneup on Saturday afternoon.
But it was the University of Maine-Fort Kent that walked out of Memorial Gym in Orono with a victory.
The Bengals took a double-digit lead in the second half and held on for an 80-75 exhibition victory over the Black Bears.
The visiting Bengals, who compete as members of the United States Collegiate Athletic Association, roared off to a strong start, taking an 18-11 lead just after the midway point of the first half.
The Black Bears battled back to make it a two point game (36-34) at halftime, as Wes Myers led UMaine with eight first-half points.
UMFK led by as many as eight points over the first 20 minutes. Rosevelt Smith Jr., was UMFK’s offensive catalyst with 18 points.
The Bengals kept attacking early in the second half, with a 13-3 run leading to UMFK’s first double-digit lead of the day at 57-47 with just over 12 minutes to play.
But UMaine responded with a 6-0 run of its own, leading to a UMFK timeout with 9:34 to play.
As they had all afternoon, the Bengals responded, stretching their lead back up to nine at 74-65 in the final three minutes of the contest.
Down 74-71 with just under a minute to go, UMaine’s Ilker Er missed a potential, game-tying, 3-pointer. After UMFK missed a free throw, an Andrew Fleming layup got the Bears within one.
The Bengals’ 3-point lead was restored on a Bobby Syvanthong layup, and UMaine was never able to get closer.
The Black Bears shot only 30 percent from the floor in the first half and 35 percent for the game.
Smith led the Bengals with a game-high 29 points. Stephon Bell had 15 and Syvanthong added 14.
Myers’ 18 points paced coach Bob Walsh’s Black Bears. Fleming finished with 12 and Aaron Calixte netted 11.
UMaine opens its season Friday at Virginia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference.