By Akin Taylor | February 28, 2023
Great Dane forward Jonathan Beagle mid-pass.
Photo credit: Taylor O’Connor, UAlbany Athletics
On Wednesday, the University at Albany Great Danes men’s basketball team surged with a late comeback, but fell short by two points in a thriller against the Maine Bears.
Over the first five minutes of play, the Maine Bears took a slim 9-8 lead. UAlbany's first eight points were scored by Jonathan Beagle. Midway through the first half, the Bear’s lead had grown to four points, 16-12. Gerald Drumgoole Jr. scored his second bucket of the game with his own layup after Da'Kquan Davis scored his first points of the game with a layup.
The Great Danes took the lead 23-20 behind a scoring surge with an 11-4 run over the next four minutes, with Beagle, Davis and Drumgoole Jr. leading the way. Maine responded with a 13-6 run of their own led by the Bear’s guards Kellen Tynes and Ja'Shonte Wright-Mcleish.
The Great Danes went into the half down 36-26’ they shot 50.0% from the field and went 4-9 from three in the first half. Maine shot 42.3% from the field and went 4-8 from deep. The Great Danes’ Jonathan Beagle and Maine’s Kellen Tynes led the game in scoring with 11 points each.
After a 10-6 run to start the second half, Maine expanded its lead to 14 points. The Black Bears increased their lead to 55-39, with the score remaining relatively similar over the next five minutes. It was a layup for Malik Edmead and a Marcus Jackson-and-one who scored their first points of the game, to start the second half.
With an 8-0 run by UAlbany following the midway point of the second half, UAlbany closed the gap to eight points, 55-47. Davis hit back-to-back jumpers after Drumgoole Jr. and Beagle each went 2-2 from the charity stripe.
Davis scored 14 of UAlbany's final 16 points, hitting four three-pointers along the way. Among all scorers, Davis had 26 points, shooting 10-17 from the field and 6-10 from long range. He also led the team with two steals.
Down the stretch with 21 seconds left in the game, The Great Danes fouled Wright-Mcleish and Mcleish proceeded to miss both free throws. Davis knocked down a three to cut the lead to 2. Maine’s Jaden Clayton would proceed to the game out of reach to 74-69 making both his free throws after his trip to the charity stripe. Davis’ buzzer-beater three wasn't enough, leading to the final score, 74-72.
Bears guard Gedi Juozapaitis was 6-9 from the field and had 13 points. For the second game in a row, Beagle recorded a double-double. In addition to scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, the young big man also helped out with four assists. Davis had an incredible night with 26 points from 60% behind the arc.
Beagle’s double-double rewarded him in the Great Danes' record books for the most America East Rookie of the Week titles in team history. In claiming his eighth award following two consecutive double-doubles, Beagle officially passed Jon Iati's record of seven awards set during the 2003-04 season.