High-Scoring Second Half Propels Men's Basketball to Longest Division I Winning Streak at Maine
BOX SCORE
BANGOR, MAINE – On the heels of an emotional trip to Bangor, University at Albany men's basketball (14-7, 9-0 AE) scored 47 points in the second half to down Maine (2-20, 1-8 AE) 77-59 on Saturday afternoon. The Purple & Gold have won nine straight games, good for the longest streak in UAlbany Division I program history.
“I was very happy with our energy in the second half,” said head coach Will Brown. “The first half was as poor of a defensive effort as we've given in a long time. We knew they were going to spread out and drive the ball, and that gave us some trouble. We did what Sue Hooley would've wanted us to do today, and that was getting a win.”
In a fast-paced game early, both teams were shooting better than 50% four minutes in. UAlbany held a 15-9 lead on eight points from Evan Singletary.
The Black Bears hit two threes out of the under-16 media timeout to tie the game at 15. After both sides appeared to settle in offensively, the Danes struggled shooting, going 3-for-14 from the field after starting the game 5-for-9.
Taking advantage of its chances, Maine got out to a 27-22 lead with just over five minutes left in the first half. The Purple & Gold had not scored for four minutes before Sam Rowley broke the drought to put UAlbany within three points.
After Singletary made a block on Maine's Troy Reid-Knight in the lane, the junior headed the other way to find Wheeler Baker for a 2-on-1 fast break opportunity. Two more baskets before the half put the Danes up 30-27 at the break, thanks to an 8-0 run.
But UAlbany wasn't out of trouble yet, as the teams went back and forth for the first 10 minutes of the second half. Neither team led by more than four points before UAlbany went on a 16-point unanswered spurt. Baker hit three treys, and Ray Sanders capped the run with a corner three.
The Black Bears went scoreless for four minutes, but the Danes shot the lights out down the stretch. By the time the under-8 media timeout rolled around UAlbany was 13-for-20 (.650) from the field and 5-for-8 (.625) from three.
Singletary drained two straight threes of his own with less than five minutes to go, extending the lead to 20 points for the first time. Sam Rowley converted underneath to give UAlbany its widest margin on the next possession.
The Great Danes scored a season-high 47 points in the second half, and concluded the second stanza shooting 19-for-28 (.679) from the field. Will Brown's squad also went 7-for-11 (.636) from three with just two turnovers in the final 20 minutes of play.
UAlbany has won a Division I program-best nine games in a row, and concluded the month of January undefeated for the first time since the 1993-94 season.
Wheeler Baker scored a career-high 21 points on 8-for-12 from the field and 5-for-9 from three-point land. Evan Singletary matched Baker's 21 points and added seven assists. The Danes recorded a season-high 23 dish-outs thanks to Singletary (7), Sam Rowley (5), Dallas Ennema (4) and Sanders (4). Sanders also grabbed a career-best four steals.
After playing four of its last five games on the road, UAlbany returns to SEFCU Arena for two home games this week. The Danes host a streaking New Hampshire (13-9, 6-3 AE) team on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
