Maine Pulls to Within One Point but Falls to CCSU in Final Minute

Tuesday, November 23

7 pm

University of Maine

Central Conn. St.

Maine Pulls to Within One Point but Falls to CCSU in Final Minute

11/23/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

ORONO, Maine – Katelyn Vanderhoff (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) drained a pair of free throws to cut Central Connecticut State's (3-0) lead to one point, 58-57, with a minute remaining, but Maine (1-3) fell 62-57 Tuesday night. The Blue Devils used 17 points from Alexzandria Dowdy and 25 offensive boards to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 1986-87.

America East Player of the Game, Amber Smith (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich), led the Black Bears and tied Dowdy for the game high with 17 points. Smith has scored in double figures in every game this season and ranks in the top-5 in the America East with 16.7 points per game.

Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y./Wilson Magnet) scored nine points in the second half and pulled down five rebounds, but Maine's four-game streak of multiple players scoring in double figures narrowly came to an end against CCSU. Samantha Wheeler (Derry, N.H./Timberlane Regional) missed most of the first half with early foul trouble but rebounded in the second half with seven points and seven boards. All seven of her points came from the free-throw line.

Vanderhoff played nearly the entire 40 minutes of action and scored four points, pulled down five boards, dished out two assists and tallied four steals. Four of her five rebounds were on the offensive end of the court.

Central Connecticut State survived a late Maine run and led 32-31 at the break. The Blue Devils led 25-13 with 6:26 remaining in the first half, but Smith powered the Black Bears to a 9-1 run with a pair of threes. Jaymie Druding (Orchard Park, N.Y./Orchard Park) cut CCSU's lead to 26-22 with 4:04 remaining on a free throw. Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y./Churchville-Chili) tied the game at 31 all with 35 seconds left, but the Blue Devils led at the half after Gabrielle Oglesby drained a free throw.

Dowdy scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half and helped Central Connecticut State edge Maine 30-26 in the second half. The Blue Devils pulled back ahead by 10 points with 6:23 to play in the second half, but the Black Bears pulled within four with three minutes to go on a jumper by Smith. Wellington put Maine within one possession with a pair of free throws at the 2:20 mark.

Vanderhoff cut Central Connecticut State's lead to one point on a pair of free throws with a minute to play. Lauren Arbogast drained a layup at the 36 second mark. Maine was unable to find a game-tying shot, falling 62-57 to the Blue Devils.

The Black Bears will return to the court Friday when they host the Dead River Company Classic. Games start at 4 p.m., and Maine will play Navy at 6 p.m.