It didn’t take long for Kellen Tynes to make men’s basketball history on Thursday night.
Tynes, a graduate student guard for the University of Maine Black Bears, needed just one steal to set a new all-time UMaine career record heading into Thursday’s win against the New Jersey Institute of Technology. And he only needed about two minutes to move to the top of that list.
Two minutes and 21 seconds into the first half, Tynes poked the ball away from NJIT guard Ari Fulton while defending underneath the basket. UMaine teammate Quion Burns picked up the ball and took it the other way for a fast break. Tynes added a second steal later in the first half.
“I was always taught you can kind of change the game with your defense, so that’s what I try to go out there and do,” Tynes said after the game.
Tynes now stands alone as Maine’s all-time steals leader with 246, finishing with three for the night. He started Thursday tied with Marty Higgins at 243, who had his own impressive defensive run in the late 1980s and early 90s.
A reporter asked Tynes after the game if he knew he broke the record in the moment.
“I knew I was tied. I mean I don’t really pay attention during the game, but they said it during the game and I heard,” Tynes said. “It’s something cool. I wanted to try and do my part to make the place better than when I came here. So I think, not just me by myself but with my teammates and coaches, we’re doing a good job of that so far.”
Tynes notably has reached the feat in only three years at UMaine after transferring from Montana State. That means Tynes broke the steals record at a much faster pace than his predecessors, needing about 30 fewer games to reach and then eclipse the mark.
“He’s just unique,” UMaine head coach Chris Markwood said about Tynes. “He’s lightning quick, he’s got great hand-eye coordination, and he’s got really high basketball IQ. So when you combine the natural, physical traits with the basketball mind, he’s just got a knack for the ball. He always has since I watched him in high school. It’s a really unique skill, unique talent, and he’s able to kind of disrupt it on that side of the basketball with those traits.”
In his three years at UMaine, Tynes has made a habit of making school history. He became the first ever member of the Umaine men’s team to be named America East Defensive Player of the year in the 2022-23 season, an honor he won again last season.
“We were aware of it for sure,” Tynes’ teammate A.J. Lopez said about the steals record. “We knew after the game we were going to celebrate him, but during the game we just had to focus on the task at hand.”
Tynes also started Thursday leading the nation in total steals for the season. His 75 steals heading in Thursday night’s game put him just ahead of UC San Diego guard Hayden Gray. With three more against NJIT, Tynes now has 78 steals for the season.
He didn’t hesitate when asked if the record or Thursday night’s win felt better.
“Definitely the win, for sure,” Tynes said.