FINAL SCORE: #2 Vermont 42, #3 Maine 57
BURLINGTON, Vt. – Sam Alamutu recorded 21 rebounds for UVM, the most rebounds in a single game in the last 33 years (Kevin Roberson, vs B.U. 2/29/92), but in the end the three-seeded Maine Black Bears (20-13, 10-6 AE) advanced to the 2025 America East Championship Game with a 57-42 victory over the No. two-seeded Vermont Catamounts (21-12, 13-3 AE) on Tuesday night from Patrick Gymnasium.
 
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COACH'S QUOTE
"Obviously tough loss today, tough way to end the season," said Cioffi Men's Basketball Coach John Becker. "A lot of credit needs to go to Maine for how they played today. The game plan they had and the execution of that game plan. We wish them and whoever they play in the finals the best of luck. I'm really, really proud of our team and the effort and what we were able to accomplish this year. Probably you know maybe the hardest year of my career as far as just the adversity. I thought our guys were incredibly resilient and put it together at the right time of the year, won ten in a row to get the two-seed and it just hurts that we didn't have it today. And again, a lot of that credit needs to go to Maine."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Prior to the first media timeout of the game with 14:48 on the clock, there were no easy buckets, seeing the Black Bears take a slight 6-4 advantage led by Kellen Tynes with four points. Ileri Ayo-Faleye snagged two blocks early, maintaining the Catamounts poise on defense.
• Maine orchestrated a 7-1 scoring run to gain an eight-point lead with 10:43 left in the first half, forcing the Catamounts to regroup. The Black Bears held a 13-5 lead.
• Three straight made free throws from TJ Hurly triggered Vermont's offense with 10:13 on the clock, as the Catamounts gained momentum with 9:14 to go, seeing Jace Roquemore explode down the middle with the ball, rising up for a one hand poster jam, sending Patrick Gymnasium into a frenzy, cutting the deficit to three, 13-10.
• The Black Bears rallied with an 8-0 scoring run behind two made three-pointers from Christopher Mantis and four points from Quion Burns, forcing the Catamounts to take a 30 second timeout with 5:42 remaining in the first half.
• Vermont came out of the timeout with energy, seeing Ayo-Faleye splash a three-pointer of his own from the corner, followed by two tough baskets from Alamutu, bringing UVM back within striking distance, down by six, 23-17, with 4:13 left on the clock in the opening half.
• The score at the end of the first half favored Maine, 27-19, in a low scoring contest after the first 20 minutes of action.
• Maine jumped out to a 7-5 scoring run to open the second half, maintaining the lead, 34-24, with 14:21 of gametime remaining.
• It was back-and-forth basketball for the next eight minutes, seeing four different Catamounts contribute on an 11-9 scoring run in favor of the Black Bears as Maine held a 45-33 advantage with 6:45 to go.
• A three-pointer from Ayo-Faleye, his second of the game, with 5:09 left on the clock sparked Patrick Gymnasium late in the game as the Catamounts brought the score to within 12, 49-37.
• Overall, the Catamounts could never find their offensive stride, falling in the end 57-42 to Maine in the 2025 Jersey Mikes America East Playoffs.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Ayo-Faleye recorded a game high 14 points to go along with six rebounds and two blocks.
• Alamutu registered 21 total rebounds (four OReb, 17 DReb), to go along with eight points, three assists, and one steal.
• Alamutu's 21 rebounds is tied for the second most rebounds in a single game in UVM Men's Basketball history, and the most in a single game since 1992 when Kevin Roberson snagged 21 against Boston University.
• UVM out rebounded Maine 45-36, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to Maine's seven, and 34 defensive rebounds to the Black Bear's 29.
• Vermont shot 10-14 from the free throw line (71.4%) to Maine's 9-20 from the line (45.0%).

 
 
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