Maine Black Bears @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Denis Badalau scores 19 points in the first half and Rutgers goes on to beat Maine 72-60
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- — Denis Badalau scored all 19 of his points in the first half, Dylan Grant had 10 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double and Rutgers beat Maine 72-60 on Monday night.
Rutgers opened the game on a 15-2 run, with seven straight points from Badalau, and led throughout. Badalau scored 19 of Rutgers’ 37 first-half points after making 4 of 5 from 3-point range, while Maine went 4 of 11.
Tariq Francis scored five points in Rutgers’ 10-0 run to begin the second half for a 47-30 lead. The Scarlet Knights added a 7-0 run for a 17-point lead with 10:43 remaining.
Francis finished with 12 points, and Darren Buchanan Jr. added 10 off the bench for Rutgers (2-0), which opened the season with a 28-point victory over Rider.
Isaac Bonilla scored 12 points, Bashir N’Galang added 11 and TJ Biel had 10 for Maine (0-3), which has lost to George Washington and Stony Brook. Freshman Ace Flagg, the twin brother of Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper, scored six.
Rutgers turned 18 Maine turnovers into 25 points.
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Game Information
- Referees:
- Rob Kueneman
- Gerald Williams
- Randy Richardson
2025-26 America East Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| NJIT | 0-0 | - | 1-1 |
| UMBC | 0-0 | - | 1-1 |
| Binghamton | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
| New Hampshire | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
| UMass Lowell | 0-0 | - | 1-2 |
| Bryant | 0-0 | - | 0-2 |
| UAlbany | 0-0 | - | 0-2 |
| Maine | 0-0 | - | 0-3 |
2025-26 Big Ten Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern | 0-0 | - | 3-0 |
| Illinois | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Indiana | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Iowa | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Michigan State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Minnesota | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Nebraska | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Ohio State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Oregon | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Penn State | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Purdue | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Rutgers | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| UCLA | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| USC | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Wisconsin | 0-0 | - | 2-0 |
| Michigan | 0-0 | - | 1-0 |
| Washington | 0-0 | - | 2-1 |
| Maryland | 0-0 | - | 1-1 |

