Mascot Bananas T Bear was absent from most of Saturday's Black Bear hockey game because the student giving him a ride, was arrested for OUI.

University of Maine spokeswoman Margaret Nagle told ABC Fox-TV that the graduated student due to play the role of mascot was a passenger in a vehicle Saturday night that was stopped by police. The driver of that vehicle, who is also a University of Maine student, was arrested for operating under the influence. The arrest happened at 7 p.m. in the parking lot outside Alfond Arena. The alum had been asked to fill in as Bananas for a student who canceled earlier in the day.

Nagle says the alum who was dressed as Bananas T. Bear was asked by campus police to cease his performance at the game against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and both students were referred to the Student Conduct Office. The Bananas program is conducted through the Sigma Xi chapter of the Alpha Delta national fraternity.

Despite the lack of their mascot, who interacts with the crowd and skates during breaks in the game, the Black Bears won 4 to 2.

More From 102.9 WBLM