Maine dispatches Morgan State with a strong finish.
By Kevin Mills
Staff Writer

PORTLAND – As the lead climbed into double digits, they didn’t have to see Morgan State in the rearview mirror. The University of Maine men’s basketball team could sense they were still there.

“That’s been the story of the year,” said sophomore guard Kevin Reed. “Usually we have big leads and teams have come back on us. That’s something we’re trying to cut down on.”

Just Tuesday night, the Black Bears were up 56-47 at home against Dartmouth and watched the game slip away in an overtime loss. So when Morgan State made a late run Saturday afternoon, the Black Bears were determined to see this one through.

“We just lost a tough game to Dartmouth that we shouldn’t have lost,” said senior guard Eric Dobson. “So were just didn’t want to lose two games in a row.”

So when push came to shove in a physical defensive matchup at the Cumberland County Civic Center, the Black Bears managed to outlast Morgan State with a strong finish for a 69-63 win.

“I thought we played – not well,” said Maine coach John Giannini. “I didn’t think it was a great basketball game, but the key to having a good season is to not play well and still win occasionally. That’s a critical part of having a good season.”

It wasn’t an offensive showcase for either team in front of a crowd of 1,418. Both teams had offensive spurts. UMaine (5-2) built a seven-point lead late in the first half but didn’t pull away until its defense gave them room to breath early in the second half.

“I never felt good about our flow,” said Giannini. “It just wasn’t there. Their pressure defense had something to do with that.”

Reed finished with 22 points for the Black Bears while Dobson had 16. Morgan State (1-5) got 13 each from Christopher Grant and Brand. Barrow had 10 but Morgan State’s top post player, Aaron Andrews had just eight.

“Size bothers us,” said Morgan State coach Alfred Beard. “We got outrebounded by 11. When Andrews gets in foul trouble, I have no one to rebound for me.”

That would be a factor late when Andrews fouled out, and Maine held the lead thanks to some critical defensive rebounding. Reed finished with 11 boards while Mark Flavin and David Dubois each had six.

“I thought we did a good job on the boards,” said Reed. “Dave and Flav came off the bench, they really helped out on the boards. Down the stretch, Dave was getting everything.”

Maine built a 49-38 lead midway through the second half thanks to some solid defensive play, but Morgan State scrambled back. A three by Cedrick Barrow moved Morgan State within 49-47 with 6:55 left. After a free throw by Reed, Sam Brand hit a pair from the line to get Morgan State within one with 6:34 left.

Maine opened the lead back up with a pair of free throws from Reed and a hook by Flavin with 5:52 remaining.

Each time Morgan State came down with a chance to get close, the Black Bear defense came up with the stops and got some key rebounds. It left Morgan State with one shot before the Black Bears were going the other way.

Morgan State was able to get within two on a Brand three with 5:39 left but a post move by Dubois and a drive from Dobson turned the lead to six. Maine then won the battle from the free-throw line in the final minutes. Ludmil Hadjisotirov, Dobson and Reed all hit free throws in the final minutes to pad the lead.

“I thought his ballclub did exactly what they had to do down the stretch,” said Beard. “They went to the hoop. They made their free throws. We missed our free throws and missed easy shots.

“In the second half, they outplayed us and that’s been the case in every ballgame so far.”

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