HARTFORD, Conn. —The University of Maine men’s basketball team earned a No. 3 ranking in a preseason coachs’ poll. The poll was announced at the annual American East Tip-Off Luncheon on Thursday.
Maine moved into the top three with 51 points and one first-place vote behind Boston University, which had 62 points and six first-place votes. Stony Brook received 57 points. New Hampshire, Vermont and Hartford, rounded out the top five in the conference.
“It’s going to be a very exciting and tough year in the American East Conference,” said Maine head coach Ted Woodward. “There will be a lot of parity throughout the league, as there are many outstanding senior leaders on every team in the Conference. We are looking forward to the official start of practice on Friday.”
Gerald McLemore, Maine’s junior guard, was picked to round out he All-Conference team. McLemore is no stranger to receiving accolades Selected to the All-American East First team in the 2009-2010 season after scoring an average of 14.6 points in a game and scoring 102 three-pointers, second in the country. McLemore is only the third player to produce over 100 treys during a single season in conference history.
Women’s preseason hoop poll
The Maine women’s basketball squad is ranked at No. 8 t in the conference, just one vote shy of tying the seventh-place Albany. Boston University was the unopposed leader for the 2010-2011 season.
Samantha Wheeler, who was appointed to the All-American’s third team, will return to the Black Bears along with three starters and nine veterans.
Under head coach Cindy Blodgett, Maine comes off a 2009-2010 season with a number of record firsts. Among them were: The Black Bears’ first All-Conference nod since the 2006-2007 season, their first back-to-back wins on the road since 2006-2007 and the biggest comeback since their 2002-2003 season.
Hockey
Maine 4, Michigan State 4
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Robby Dee scored twice for Maine, which blew a two-goal lead and settled for a 4-4 tie with Michigan State on Thursday in a non-conference battle at Munn Arena.
Michigan State grabbed a 1-0 lead with a power play goal by Dustin Gazley just 5:08 into the first period.
Dee tied the game for the Black Bears (1-0-2) on an assist from Gustav Nyquist, and Mike Cornell put the Bears in front 2-1 at 13:24.
The Black Bears extended their lead to 3-1 at 15:59 of the first period. Adam Shemanskytook the puck behind the net before finding Joey Diamond who beat the Michigan State keeper. MSU pulled to within one goal at 8:23 of the second period when Daultan Leveille fired a shot from the blueline. Maine goalie Shawn Sirman.
Maine regained its two-goal edge in the second on Dee’s second of the game, but the Spartans roared back. Brett Perlini and Mike Merrifield beat Sirman to tie the game at 4-4, where it remaind through overtime.
The two teams conclude their two game series Friday.
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