Lyles scores 37 as UMBC beats Maine 83-79, breaks skid

Feb 6, 2016, 02:51 pm

PORTLAND, Maine -- Jairus Lyles scored a career-high 37 points -- including eight in a row late in the game -- and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County defeated Maine 83-79 on Saturday, ending a seven-game losing streak.

The sophomore Lyles connected on 14 of 19 shots from the field, including three 3-pointers, for the third-most points in school history. Joe Sherburne added 12 points with 12 rebounds.

UMBC (6-19, 2-8 America East) defeated Maine on Jan. 9 in the first round of conference play, but had gone winless since. Lyles was deadly down the stretch, scoring three straight times down the court, and adding a pair of free throws as UMBC stretched a four-point lead to keep Maine at bay.

Maine's Kevin Little hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left, pulling the Black Bears (8-15, 4-6) into striking distance.

Little and Devine Eke scored 13 points each for Maine -- Eke added four blocks. Aaron Calixte scored 18.