Pierre scores career-high 25, UMass sinks Maine 74-63

Dec 22, 2017, 06:19 pm

AMHERST, Mass. -- Carl Pierre scored a career-high 25 points on 7-of-9 shooting from 3-point range and C.J. Anderson had a career-high 12 assists and UMass got off to a big start en route to a 74-63 win over Maine on Friday.

Luwane Pipkins added 16 points and Malik Hines and Rashaan Holloway had 10 apiece for the Minutemen (7-6).

UMass trailed 7-5 before scoring 10 straight with Pipkins and Pierre each hitting 3-pointer and a jumper. That turned into a 15-2 run then a 23-5 surge for a 28-12 lead. With the last nine points of the half, the Minutemen led 40-15. Pierre had 16 points as the Minutemen went 6 of 9 from 3-point range and 16 of 25 overall. The Black Bears shot 25 percent, going 1 of 13 behind the arc, and had nine turnovers.

Maine turned it around in the second half, but not until falling behind by 34, outscoring UMass 32-9 in the last 12-plus minutes.

Ilija Stojiljkovic scored 11 points, all in the second half, and Andrew Fleming 10 for the Black Bears (3-11), who made 18 of 26 shots in the second half, including 12 of their last 17 while UMass went 2 of 14.