Maine Rallies in Second Half to Defeat Men's Basketball

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Mark Socoby had 18 of his 20 points in the second half as Maine rallied from a double-figure deficit to upend UAlbany, 81-70, in America East Conference play on Wednesday, Jan. 23 at SEFCU Arena.

UAlbany (9-10, AE 4-3) trailed at halftime, but opened the final period with an 11-2 run. Brent Wilson put the Great Danes ahead with a jump hook. Jimmie Covington later scored off an offensive rebound, before Brian Connelly’s three-point play provided his team with a 41-37 advantage.

The Great Danes, who had won four of their last five entering the contest, pushed out to a 12-point margin with 10:58 remaining. Connelly, who had 15 points, converted a drive on the right baseline for a 51-39 lead. Maine (6-13, AE 2-4) responded with 15 of the game’s next 16 points and was propelled by a seven-point possession. UAlbany’s Brett Gifford, a 6-foot-11 center, was called for a technical foul after he fouled Kaimondre Owes. After the Black Bears made four free throws, Socoby drilled a three-point field goal from the right wing.

Socoby, who made 4-of-6 shots from long distance, eventually put his team in front when he nailed a 3-pointer from the right corner in transition. After the Great Danes tied the contest at 54 apiece on Jerel Hastings’ tip-in, Maine scored eight unanswered to pull away for good. Socoby ignited that stretch with a bank shot off the dribble. He and Owes each made two free throws, before Junior Bernal added a fastbreak layup for a 62-54 margin with 5:49 to play.

UAlbany was still within five of the lead two minutes later, but Socoby sealed the outcome with a 3-pointer off an inbounds pass. Bernal, who had 16 points and four rebounds, pushed the margin to double digits by sinking two foul shots. Owes, playing in his eighth game since transferring from St. Peter’s, finished with 17 points and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the line.

“Any win is important,” said Maine coach Ted Woodward, whose team knocked off conference-leader UMBC on the road 11 days ago. “After we had a good win at UMBC, we struggled some at home. But we were still pleased with certain things. This team is growing all the time.”

The first half featured 10 lead changes and three ties. UAlbany’s Tim Ambrose, who scored 16 off the bench, tallied off a fastbreak to draw his team even at 28 apiece. But Maine followed with seven of the stanza’s final eight points. Sean McNally keyed that spurt with a 3-pointer from right of the key, as his team took a 35-30 lead to the break.

Brian Lillis had 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals for the Great Danes, who have lost back-to-back home games for the first time since January 2005. The Black Bears, who halted a three-game losing streak, shot 64.7 percent from the field and made 31-of-36 from the charity stripe.

“It’s real frustrating because we didn’t start off the game with a lot of energy,” said UAlbany center Jimmie Covington, who had four points and a season-best seven rebounds. “Basketball is a game of runs, but we didn’t get any stops. Everyone (on this team) has to look within themselves and hold themselves accountable.”