University of Maine
Stetson
Women's Basketball Falls In Final Minute for the Second-Straight Game
12/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DELAND, Fla. - The Maine women's basketball team (1-10) was in it until the end, trailing by only three points with 25 seconds remaining. They fell to Stetson (5-5) 76-70 in the finale of the Hatter Classic. Led by Ashleigh Roberts' (Wilmington, Del./Concord), career-high 17 points, five Black Bears scored in double figures for the first time since at Boston U. last season, while two more posted double-doubles. Roberts was named a Hatter Classic All-Tournament Team Selection after setting a career high in points in both games.
Roberts scored in double figures for the third-straight game and the fifth time this season, while Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y./Wilson Magnet) posted her third career double-double and the second of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Katelyn Vanderhoff (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) notched her first ever double-double with 12 points and 10 boards. Amber Smith (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) and Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine/Hampden Academy) rounded out the Black Bears' double-figure scoring. Smith scored 12 points and tallied seven rebounds, while Ross added 11 points and seven boards.
UMaine out-rebounded Stetson 46-41 and held the reigning A-Sun Player of the Week, Natasha Graboski, to eight points and four rebounds. Graboski scored 26 points and pulled down 11 boards in the Hatters' first game of the classic against Youngstown State. Maine out-rebounded an opponent for the third time this season.
Maine led 35-33 at halftime behind a 10 point, five rebound performance from Wellington. The sophomore forward tied a season high with the 10 points set back in the opener against Harvard. The Black Bears scored 30+ points in the first half for the fourth time this season. Ross added eight points, and Vanderhoff pulled down eight boards to help UMaine edge Stetson 23-18 in first-half rebounding.
UMaine made over 45% of their shots from the field, but were unable to drain a three pointer in the first half. The Black Bears held the Hatters to under 30% for most of the first half and they were shooting 27.6% at the final media timeout. Maine scored 18 points in the paint, eight on second-chance opportunities and 12 from players off the bench in the first period.
Ross won the opening tip for Maine, and the Black Bears scored on their first possession. However, both teams traded a pair of 6-0 runs, and Stetson led 9-8 at the first media timeout. Natasha Graboski drained a three to give the Hatters the one-point lead with 15:19 to play. However, Maine held Graboski to just five points and three rebounds in the first half.
Maine came out of the break and quickly jumped ahead 19-13 behind an 8-0 run. Four different Black Bears scored during the four-minute run and were powered by Vanderhoff's seven rebounds in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Stetson pulled ahead 59-53 with 8:16 to play after an 11-2 run in which they hit four field goals. Maine had held the Hatters to just one made basket in the first 10 minutes of the second half, but Stetson went 17 for 18 from the free-throw line in that period to keep the game close. The two squads exchanged the lead eight times during those first 10 minutes.
Ross and Smith hit back-to-back three pointers to pull Maine back within one point, 65-64, with 3:15 remaining.
Maine will return to the court at Alfond Arena for their lone home contest in the month of December on the 29th against UMass.
