Men’s College Basketball
MAINE vs. VERMONT
Time, site: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor
Records: UMaine 6-13 (2-3 America East), Vermont 13-6 (3-1)
Series: Vermont 73-70, Vermont 73-57 on 3/9/2019
Key players, Maine: 6-7 F Andrew Fleming (15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game), 6-4 G Sergio El Darwich (14.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.7 steals per game), 6-8 F Nedeljko Prijovic (9.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg), 6-8 F Vilgot Larsson (6.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg); Vermont: 6-6 F Anthony Lamb (16.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg), 6-2 G Stef Smith (14.8 ppg), 6-6 G Everett Duncan (8.1 ppg, 4.4 rpg), 6-5 G Robin Duncan (5.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg)
Game notes: UMaine has dropped its last 17 games against Vermont, including four straight America East quarterfinals. But the Black Bears look to be in their best position to challenge the reigning America East champions in recent years after back-to-back conference victories over UMass Lowell (104-98 in overtime) and Binghamton (86-63). El Darwich, who averaged 31.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 9.5 assists in the two games, was named America East Player of the Week as well as the CollegeSportsMadness.com National Mid-Major Player of the Week. UMaine’s improving offense will be challenged by a Vermont defense that has yielded a league-low 59.2 points per game on 37.2 percent field-goal shooting. Vermont has won three straight conference games since opening its America East schedule with a homecourt loss to Stony Brook. The Black Bears, 5-3 at home this season but 1-10 on the road, play their next game at last-place Maryland Baltimore County (7-12, 0-4 AE) at 1 p.m. Saturday.
