At Some Point, Syracuse Should Just Annex Maine

Maine, we meet again.  We bested your football team.  We sent one of our basketball players o infiltrate your state and remake it in our image.  The only thing left to do, really, is to defeat your basketball team and prove absolute power over you and your constituents. 

And so that is what we'll do tomorrow.

The 6-0 No. 7 Orange will face off against the 3-3 Black Bears in Syracuse's first game since Monday.  In that contest, Syracuse overwhelmed lowly Colgate 92-58. Those same Red Raiders hosted Maine on Thursday night and also lost, though this time only by ten.  Maine...that doesn't bode well. 

Let's get to know these Mainies, shall we?

Maine is led by sophomore guard Gerald McLemore, who is averaging 14.0 points per game and three 3-pointers per game, which ranks 20th nationally. Junior forward Sean McNally is averaging nearly a double-double with 13.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per contest.  Classmate Terrance Mitchell is also in double figures for the Black Bears (13.2 ppg). Mitchell scored a game-best 24 points in the Colgate triumph.

 

Maine enters the contest averaging 65 points per game and converting 33.9 percent of its 3-point field-goal attempts. The team also makes its presence felt on the boards, as the Black Bears average 35.7 rebounds per game.

"I don't consider him a freshman anymore," sophomore Kris Joseph said after the game. "I think he's really comfortable in the system. He's a smart player, and he takes good shots. And he plays within the offense, and I think that's great in a point guard - and he can pass the ball, too."