Maine to Battle Rhode Island Tomorrow at 2 p.m.
11/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Games Notes -- Live Stats -- Audio
KINGSTON, R.I. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team will meet the Rams of Rhode Island on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. in game two of the 2011-12 season. This will be the first meeting of the two teams since the 2005 season. Both teams enter this contest at 0-1 and in search of their first wins of the season.
The Black Bears will opened their 48th season of women's basketball with a hard fought 53-48 loss at Central Connecticut State on Friday evening. The Black Bears fell behind by 11 but fought back within two late in the second half but ran out of time.
Maine returns its leading scorer and America East All-Rookie team selection in guard Ashleigh Roberts to this season's squad. Roberts led Maine with 10.7 points per game to go along with 4.4 rebounds per contest. Roberts picked up her game last year in conference play as she tallied 11.9 points per game in league matchups (ninth) with 5.8 rebounds. Amber Smith also returns as a scoring threat as she also ended the season scoring in double-figures at 10.0 points per game and 4.2 rebounds per. Smith ended the regular season fourth in the conference at 82.4% from the free throw line. As a unit, the Black Bears were third in the league in blocks per game at 3.7. The Black Bears also ended the 2010-11 campaign the third best rebounding team in the conference, pulling down 38.0 boards per contest. Roberts picked up where she left off last season as she led the Black Bears in their opener Friday night, netting 16 points to go along with six rebounds. Maine also debuts an enitrely new coaching staff as Richard Barron (Kenyon College '91) takes over the head coaching duties with Maine. He is assisted by Jill Poe, former Black Bear Amy Vachon, and Jhasmin Player.
The Rams return eight letter-winners from a squad that finished 7-21 overall and 1-13 in the Atlantic-10 conference, tying them for 13th in the conference. Rhode Island returns three starters from the 2010-11 campaign. The Rams lost their top scorer in Megan Shoniker who average 18.9 points per game but return its next highest scorer in senior Lara Gaspar who averaged 11.1 points per game with a team high 6.0 rebounds per game. Gaspar's 6.0 rebounds per game ranked her 15th overall in the A-10 conference last season. Sherrie Session returns experience at the guard position for Rhode Island as she started all 28 games while averaging 5.4 points per game and 4.4 rebounds. In the season opener, Rhode Island fell 89-53 to the CAA preseason favorite Delaware Blue Hens. Ajanae Boone paced Rhode Island with a career-high 16 points in the loss. The Rams were picked to finish 13th in the A-10 preseason poll.
Maine and Rhode Island's career series is currently deadlocked at 11 wins apiece coming in to this afternoon's contest. This will be the two team's first meeting in seven years as Rhode Island scored the victory in the last meeting, 65-48 at Alfond Arena on Nov. 30, 2005. Maine's last win against Rhode Island came on Dec. 14, 2002 when Maine scored a 65-58 win at Rhode Island on its way to becoming the 2002-03 America East Regular Season Champions. Former Maine Head Coach Cindy Blodgett is an assistant with the URI staff. Blodgett holds the record for most career points (3,005)as she had an outstanding, all-american, four year career with the Black Bears. Blodgett was also Maine's head coach for the past four seasons.
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