Maryland Baltimore County raced out to a 24-point halftime lead and cruised to a 93-79 America East men’s basketball victory over the University of Maine on Saturday at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
The loss drops UMaine to 6-22 overall and 3-14 in conference play entering Tuesday night’s regular-season finale against Vermont at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
UMBC is now 15-13 overall and ranks second behind Vermont in the America East standings with a 10-7 record. Vermont, 24-5 overall, 16-1 in league play, already has clinched the regular-season championship.
Jacob Boonyasith scored 16 first-half points to lead UMBC to a 52-28 intermission advantage despite 14 points in the game’s opening 20 minutes from UMaine sophomore Peter Filipovity.
Junior guard Maks Klanjscek paced the Black Bears offensively with 17 points, while Filipovity finished with a career-high 16 points, Kristians Feierbergs scored 11 points and Sam Ihekwoaba added nine.
L.J. Owens led UMBC with 20 points.