Women's Basketball Returns to the Alfond to Face Undefeated Central Conn. State
11/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes
ORONO, Maine – The Maine women's basketball team (1-1) returns to Alfond Arena to face undefeated Central Connecticut State (2-0) Tuesday at 7 p.m. The Black Bears won their first game of the 2010-11 season on the road at Bryant Friday 74-66 behind Amber Smith's (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) team-leading 22 points and five steals and Samantha Wheeler's (Derry, N.H./Timberlane Regional) double-double.
Wheeler scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the first road win of the season. Dating back to last season, she has recorded a double-double in four out of the last five games. Wheeler passed Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) among active Black Bears with 21 career double-digit performances.
Four Black Bears scored in double figures for the second-straight game to help UMaine overcome a 9-point halftime deficit against the Bulldogs. Maine outscored Bryant 43-26 in the second half; however, the Black Bears did not take the lead for good until 3:22 remained on the clock. Maine finished the game on a 10-2 run and held Bryant without a made field goal in the final three minutes.
Maine ranks third in the America East with 64 points per game, while allowing the fourth fewest points (69.5). The Black Bears rank third in the league making 75% of their free throws and are second in the conference with a .389 mark from behind the arc. UMaine is tied for the America East lead with 10.5 steals a game.
Maine boasts three of the top-10 scorers in the conference, while Samantha Wheeler is tied for the lead in steals with three a game. Smith ranks fourth in the America East with 16.5 points a game, while Wheeler is seventh with 13.5 a game, and Katelyn Vanderhoff (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) is tied for tenth with 12 points a game.
Central Connecticut State has been a bit of a surprise in the early going after being picked to finish seventh in the NEC by the league's coaches. They defeated NCAA Participant and America East preseason runner-up selection, Hartford, 46-41 in the season opener and are currently 2-0 after defeating Brown 52-44 last Wednesday.
The Blue Devils will be making their first road trip of the season after hosting both previous games at home. Justina Udenze leads CCSU with 8.5 points a game, while Leanne Crockett averages 8 points and 10 rebounds a contest.
For fans who cannot make it to the game at Alfond Arena, Don Shields will provide radio play-by-play for the Black Bear Sports Network. The game can be heard on WAEI-FM 97.1, WAEI 910 AM and GoBlackBears.com, while live stats and a paid video stream will be available on the website GoBlackBears.com(.)
