The University of Maine men’s basketball team scored just 47 points in its season-opening loss away against the George Washington University on Monday night.
That anemic total for the Black Bears was less than any of the games they played last year, when their season low was 49.
But this is not last season. A young group featuring 11 new arrivals is still looking to get acclimated after several key players departed from last year’s America East tournament runner-up squad.
And that continued transition was evident Monday night as George Washington outpowered UMaine 67-47 and held the Black Bears to just 31.4 percent shooting from the field.
“I think we just really struggled to score against their pressure,” UMaine head coach Chris Markwood told the Van Wagner radio broadcast after the loss. “They really sped us up.”
Despite the sluggish offensive production for much of the game, the Black Bears were able to hang in it at least part-way through the second half. They used a 10-0 run to cut the GW lead to one at 39-38, but struggled to put the ball in the basket down the stretch.
“We’ve got a brand new group,” Markwood said. “We’ve got a lot of new guys.”
Two of those new guys, transfer TJ Biel and freshman Ace Flagg, were among the few bright spots that Markwood could point to after the loss. Biel led the team in scoring with 13 points, and Flagg was right behind him with 10.
Biel also led the team with 7 rebounds, and Flagg piled up an impressive four steals, showcasing the determination and hustle that helped earn him his “Honey Badger” nickname from his family years ago. The 18-year-old freshman also led the team in turnovers Monday night with five.
Flagg flashed signs of the defensive grit and offensive instincts that have impressed coaches at every level since he was growing up in Newport. In one telling sequence in the first half, he scored a reverse layup on the offensive end and then immediately got UMaine the ball back by taking a charge on the other end of the floor.
Markwood credited both Biel and Flagg for their efforts on Monday night, saying he’s excited to see what Biel does in Orono and wants to find creative ways to get him the ball.
“I thought Ace, too, gave us a huge lift,” Markwood said.
Biel and Flagg also led the team in minutes played Monday night, with Biel starting and logging 31 minutes and Flagg coming off the bench for 29.
Markwood said the team will continue to use the early season non-conference matchups, like this one against GW, to keep juggling the lineup around and see which rotations work best.
“I trust this group. I trust our staff,” Markwood said. “We’ll figure that out.”
UMaine next plays at Stony Brook on Saturday.
