Ted Woodward has been with the University of Maine’s basketball program since 1996. He was an assistant coach for eight years, during which he was a part of the program’s only two 20-win seasons; he’s no stranger to success. Since taking over head coaching duties in 2004, however, success has been hard to come by. In his first five seasons as head coach, the Black Bears have finished below .500 each season, including a 9-21 record last season.

Those losing seasons seem like a distant memory now. Maine finished the regular season with a 19-10 record, including an 11-5 conference record, earning the No. 3 seed in this weekend’s America East championship tournament. When asked about the biggest difference from last year, Woodward replied simply: “We’re another year older.”

Sophomore guard Gerald McLemore elaborated, saying he believes that better on-court chemistry has made a substantial difference this season.

“I believe the biggest change is the trust in one another,” he said. “We have a lot of the same players from last year, and we’ve been more successful because of the trust we have in one another.”

Maine has a very young roster that features just one senior. They were expected to continue their losing ways, as they were voted No. 8 in the America East preseason coaches’ poll. Woodward never gave much attention to the rankings and kept his players focused on winning, and not what other people thought about them.

“I think preseason polls are great for fans, but I didn’t vote us [No. 8],” he said. “I think we’re always in a situation where we’re just looking at our team and trying to do the best we can. I don’t think we ever thought of ourselves as a team that was going to be [an eighth-place team]. I think our guys were very confident. We put a great focus on just taking it one game at a time all the way through [the season]. I don’t think we’ve ever looked at the finish line from the starting line, ever.”

Getting Defensive

Defense has been an integral factor in Maine’s turnaround. The Black Bears led the conference in scoring defense during the regular season, allowing just 61.9 points per game, while holding their opponents to a .395 field goal percentage, also best in the conference. They also led the conference with 7.3 steals per game and were second in the conference with 25.1 defensive rebounds per game.

Junior forward Sean McNally has been a major contributor on the defensive end. He amassed 34 blocked shots and 31 steals this season. “That’s what we’ve prided ourselves on, defense,” McNally said. “I’ve got a good sense for outside defense. Coach [Woodward] is always telling me that the paint is mine and not to let anybody in the paint. That’s what I’ve tried to do all season long. When the guards get beat, I’m there to help them and they know that, so that allows them to push up on their men.” McNally has been effective on the offensive end as well, averaging 10.1 points per game, while leading the team in rebounding with 7.3 per game.

The One and Only

The leadership of starting point guard Junior Bernal has been indispensable for the Black Bears. The entire team looks up to Bernal, who is the lone senior on the squad. The leadership role is something he has relished this season.

“It’s great,” he said. “I’ve been through my share of seasons where we haven’t been that successful. Being a senior and having a season where we’ve been winning, it’s definitely been a great experience. It’s definitely a lot of responsibility being the only senior and the captain, but that’s something that comes with the territory. I’m definitely proud of our team; we all responded well this year and focused on winning. That’s our main thing.”

Bernal’s teammates appreciate his ability and leadership.

“[Bernal] means a great deal,” McNally said. “He knows the ins and outs of Maine. He knows everybody’s strengths and weaknesses. He’s really stepped up this year. Taking care of the ball, distributing [the ball] to open guys, he’s really brought his free throw game along … I have a great deal of respect for Junior. He means a great deal to our team. We all look up to him, and we all respect him.”

“He’s been huge,” McLemore said about Bernal. “He can play multiple positions. He’s big enough at 6 feet 5 inches where he can get a lot of rebounds, he can post up and he can do so much on the floor. He has a lot of leadership ability and it shows all the time.”

The Sharpshooter

McLemore has provided a huge spark for Maine as well. He led the team in scoring, averaging 14.9 points per game. He finished the regular season with a .402 3-point field goal percentage, fourth-best in the conference, which is significant considering he attempted 249 3-point field goals, 53 more than the second-highest total in the conference. He made 100 3-pointers, also the most in the conference.

“It’s just repetition and hard work,” McLemore said regarding his success from beyond the arc. “There’s nothing special about being a good shooter, it’s just putting in the work. It has to do with our offense too. There are a lot of plays set up for me to come off of staggered screens. Coach Woodward gives me the green light on the fast break to pull up from three when I’m open, so there’s definitely freedom for me to shoot.”

Learning From the Best

The Black Bears played against some extremely tough non-conference opponents this season, including Syracuse University, currently ranked No. 1 in the nation; Connecticut and Boston College, who Maine defeated 52-51. McLemore feels that playing against some of the country’s best teams has paid off for his team, and will continue to do so.

“I feel like any time you play some of the elite teams in the nation and you try your best against them, I think it definitely helps going into league play and definitely in the playoffs now, because you’re playing against the best players in the nation. I believe playing against those teams, win or lose, it definitely benefits our team and helps us down the stretch of the season.”

Craving Glory

The team’s success has brought a new sense of excitement to Maine’s campus.

“The school is ecstatic,” McLemore said. “I feel good for our fans that have been with us through the tough times. On campus, everyone is really excited and happy for us, but we don’t let it get to our heads. We want to stay focused. We don’t want to get full of ourselves, but it’s definitely an exciting atmosphere.”

The team is keeping its eyes on the prize. Winning the America East championship would give Maine its first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament. For Woodward, achieving that goal would mean a great deal, not just to his team and the fans, but to every player that has ever worn a Black Bear jersey.

“It would mean a lot to our team, and a lot to all the people who have played for the University of Maine over the course of time,” he said. “Maine has never been to the NCAA tournament. Maine has never been able to capture an America East championship. It’s a special experience to be valued and relished. It’s something we’re all working for and striving for, and hopefully we play good enough basketball [to win]. I’m sure it will be a great tournament, and we’d obviously love to be in a situation where we come away with a championship.”