In an exhilarating regular-season finale, Maine clinched a narrow 71-70 victory over UMass-Lowell on Tuesday night in Orono, Maine. This win secured Maine (18-13, 10-6 America East Conference) a top-four seed in the playoffs, a notable achievement the team hadn’t reached since 2011.
Key to Maine’s success was Quion Burns, who delivered an impressive performance, logging 19 points. Burns was highly efficient on the court, hitting 7 of 10 shots from the field and making all four of his free-throw attempts. His teammate, Kellen Tynes, added 14 points while demonstrating his defensive prowess with eight steals. Tynes connected on 6 of 10 field goals and 2 of 3 free throws. Meanwhile, Jaden Clayton contributed 10 points by shooting 3 of 7 from the field and converting 4 of 5 from the free-throw line.
In a tight contest, the River Hawks (17-14, 6-10) were paced by Quinton Mincey, who posted an impressive 26 points. Supporting him was Cam Morris III, who chipped in with 12 points and nine rebounds. Martin Somerville had a well-rounded performance with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists to his name.
A critical moment came when Mincey scored to give UMass-Lowell a 70-68 edge with just 1:25 remaining. Despite their efforts, the River Hawks fell just short, unable to maintain their lead against the surging Black Bears.
