DURHAM, N.H. — This time, the Maine men’s basketball team didn’t wilt. Not even without two starters, on the road, against a New Hampshire squad that has had the Black Bears’ number in recent years.

The Wildcats pulled away late for an 88-75 victory Monday before an announced crowd of 365 at Lundholm Gymnasium, but it was a much closer game than that score would indicate.

Shaun Lawton was the biggest reason. Maine’s 6-foot-5 senior played all five positions as his team tried to cope with the absence of forwards Ilija Stojilkovic and Issac Vann, both out with sprained ankles.

Lawton was aggressive about driving to the basket. He manned the point on the team’s press and also guarded in the post at times. He led the team with seven rebounds and added a season-high 19 points. And his effort was contagious for 36 minutes, until New Hampshire (14-9, 7-3 America East) put the finishing touches on a fourth consecutive victory over Maine.

“I just knew I had to step up, just tried to be more aggressive from the start,” Lawton said.

“We knew that we could get down on them, so we tried to attack, put our head down and drive and kick the ball if they helped.”

Maine (8-16, 4-7) started four guards and freshman center Devine Eke. Lawton and the 6-foot Troy Reid-Knight took the place of Stojilkovic and Vann. That forced the Black Bears to play a small lineup for much of the game, even finishing up with Lawton at center after Eke fouled out.

But, unlike the last game against New Hampshire, when the Wildcats raced to a 26-point lead in the first half before coasting to a 99-91 victory in Bangor, Maine answered the challenge. Repeatedly.

UNH took a 10-point lead, and Maine roared back to go ahead 30-28 on Aaron Calixte’s baseline floater. The Black Bears took the ball at Wildcats center Iba Camara and got him into foul trouble. Camara had punished Maine with 16 points and 18 rebounds in the first meeting Jan. 18. He had just three points and four rebounds Monday.

“I think that was part of us being aggressive, attacking the rim in the first half. We attacked it, he stepped up and drew some fouls on him. I think that helped us,” Lawton said.

Lawton sparked a 7-0 run midway through the second half to cut the New Hampshire lead to 55-54, but the Black Bears were never able to take the lead after intermission.

Kevin Little scored 16 of his team-leading 23 points in the second half to keep the Wildcats from pulling away.

Ultimately, Maine couldn’t contend with New Hampshire forward Tanner Leissner, who had a game-high 26 points. Guard Ronnel Jordan added 25 points and 11 rebounds.

“If you go small on him, he can physically beat you and get you to the rim, and if you go big on him he can make plays on the perimeter. He is so much stronger than he looks and he’s only a sophomore,” Maine Coach Bob Walsh said of Leissner, who scored 30 points in the teams’ first meeting.

“I’m going to put a picture of him as a freshman and him as a sophomore in our weight room so our guys can look at it. Because he looks like he’s put on 30 pounds.”

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