The first quarter started off all Springfield, with Carleton Scott coming out with back-to-back three pointers to open, but the Red Claws battled back with Chris Wright and Garrett Stutz picking up a couple baskets in the paint and Micah Downs hitting a three pointer to take an early 7-6 lead. Downs would score four more after that to start a 10-3 run capped by Wright’s free throws. The Armor’s Kenny Adeleke combined with Scott to pull the Armor within five, 33-28 after one.
Wright and Stutz got the second quarter going for Maine, pushing the lead to seven before Scott found his hot hand again, cutting the lead to one. But the quarter would swing back in Maine’s favor with Shelvin Mack and Xavier Silas joining Wright and Stutz to push the lead back up to 10. The Armor would chip away at the lead and cut it to 56-50 at the half.
The Red Claws quickly got their lead back to 10 before Willie Reed and Ben Uzoh sparked a 16-4 run to take a 64-64 lead midway through the quarter. Downs would start an 8-3 run to end the third quarter. Springfield’s Ramone Moore hit a shot at the buzzer to cut the Maine lead to 72-70.
Moore knocked down a jumper to start the fourth quarter and tie the score, but Silas would hit back-to-back jumpers to start an 11-4 run that was capped off by a Downs three pointer to take the lead to 83-76. Springfield battled back, but Maine went on another scoring spurt, led by Mack, to regain a nine-point cushion. Springfield’s Ben Uzoh took over the game trying to will the Armor back into the contest, scoring
