Bradley men's basketball pulls away from UMaine in second half

Nov. 29—Junior forward Malevy Leons scored a game-high and career-best 21 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Bradley University Braves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 71-39 win over the University of Maine at Carver Arena in Peoria, Illinois on Saturday.

Bradley led by six at the half before using a 22-7 spurt over the first 10:57 of the second half to pull away.

Bradley is now 2-5 while UMaine is 2-4 and 0-4 against Division I competition.

UMaine opened the game with a 7-2 run before the Braves rallied, using a 14-4 flurry to build a 19-13 lead. UMaine's Kristians Feierbergs hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left in the half to keep the Black Bears within striking distance.

The Black Bears were within six at 31-25 early in the second half when the Braves reeled off 10 unanswered points as UMaine went cold, missing all five shots from the floor during the run.

Leons shot 7-for-10 from the floor including a 5-for-7 showing beyond the 3-point arc. He also had three assists and three blocked shots.

Ja'Shon Henry had 15 points and five rebounds and Rienk Mast contributed 11 points and 11 rebounds for his fourth double-double. Mast sank all three of his 3-pointers after going 1-for-21 through his first six games.

Terry Roberts chipped in with six points and four assists, Connor Hickman netted six points and four rebounds and Mikey Howell handed out seven assists.

Bradley shot 56.8 percent from the floor and 55 percent beyond the 3-point arc while UMaine shot 28.8 percent and 12.5 percent, respectively. Bradley outrebounded UMaine 44-21.

Sophomore forward Peter Filipovity led UMaine with 11 points. LeChaun DuHart had six points, three steals and two rebounds. Vukasin Masic chipped in with five points, three rebounds and three assists and Feierbergs finished up with five points and two rebounds.

UMaine will travel to take on Columbia University in New York on Saturday at 2 p.m.