No team wants to be winless in its first five games.
But that’s where the UMaine men’s basketball team finds itself, with an 0-5 record heading into Sunday’s non-conference matchup against Brown University.
And that non-conference detail is key. Because all five of UMaine’s losses have been part of the Black Bears’ non-conference schedule thus far. So while 0-5 doesn’t look good on paper, these early losses could actually help UMaine sharpen its skills and find its identity for the conference games that matter the most.
If the Black Bears are going to realize the long-elusive goal of making their first NCAA Tournament, the road runs through their performance in the America East Conference, not how they do against non-conference teams like George Washington or Quinnipiac.
Now, would 5-0 be better than 0-5 against those early opponents? Certainly. Does the Black Bear offense need to stop disappearing in the middle of games? Absolutely. But with 11 new players on the roster, this is still very much a team that needs to find itself. And losing tough non-conference matchups, while frustrating in the short-term, could actually pay off in the long run.
With as much excitement surrounding this UMaine men’s team as there has been in a long time, it’s going to take a little while for the execution to match the expectations.
“Listen, you’ve got 11 new guys,” head coach Chris Markwood said after last Sunday’s loss to Quinnipiac. “So you’re trying to figure out with 11 new guys how you’re going to play, who’s going to score the ball.”
Early on, it looks like transfer forward TJ Biel is going to be scoring a lot of the points for UMaine. Biel leads the team by averaging more than 13 points per game.
But despite scoring flashes from Biel and others like transfer guard Ryan Mabrey, the Black Bears have also been weathering some offensive droughts so far.
UMaine gave up a 15-4 run in the late first half and early second half against Merrimack on Wednesday night, eventually losing 72-65.
That type of run, where UMaine’s offense disappears for several minutes, has been unfortunately common through the first five games.
Quinnipiac went on 14-0 run in the second half, allowing the Bobcats to claw back from a 12-point deficit to eventually beat the Black Bears last weekend. And George Washington went on a 9-0 run in the first half of the UMaine regular season opener, helping GW make the Black Bears chase the game for most of the night.
“Our offense has been a work in progress, but every day, we have to come in and trust our work,” Biel said after the Quinnipiac loss.
Markwood said players are still establishing their roles on the team, which has also been hobbled somewhat by a few nagging injuries.
“It’s going to come with time. You’re playing really good competition,” Markwood said. “So there’s no easy ones. You’re going to have to kind of figure it out in the fire, which is good. It’s going to pay dividends in the long run, but right now, we’ve got a lot of stuff we need to continue to clean up.”
Markwood said the team will continue to try to figure out its identity.
Freshman Ace Flagg is already making sure that identity includes hustle and grit, providing high-energy minutes off the bench for the Black Bears.
“I think he’s done a great job,” Markwood said about Flagg. “He’s been off to a really good start.”
The 18-year-old Newport native has long been heralded for his hustle and toughness. And he’s shown it by diving all over the floor, contesting shots at the rim and picking up timely steals. Flagg is the team’s second leading rebounder behind Beal.
Markwood said Flagg has also provided some good offensive bursts in the early games.
“He’s coming along, he’s going to be a big part of it for us,” Markwood said about Flagg. “We love where he’s at, and what the future holds for him. But he is a freshman, he’s going to go through his ups and downs like all those guys.”
Markwood said he will continue to play Flagg and other freshmen like guard Bashir N’Galang as they continue to adjust in their first season with the Black Bears.
“That’s how you get better,” said Markwood, who noted that having freshmen go through that evolution on the court can sometimes cost a team here and there in those early games. “But that’s what’s going to propel them to be able to help you win big games when it matters.”
