University of Maine
Bryant
Women's Basketball Falls to Bryant in Home Opener, 65-53
11/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Coach Barron Postgame
Highlights
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team dropped a 65-53 decision to Bryant in the Black Bears' home opener at 'The Pit' inside Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. The loss drops Maine to 1-2 on the season while the Bulldogs improve to 2-1. Sophomore Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) was named Maine's America East Player of the Game as she paced Maine in the scoring column with 10 points while adding a pair of rebounds and a pair of assists.
Naana Ankoma-Mensa paced the Bulldog scoring attack as she netted 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field. Danielle Douglas and Courtney Schissler each added 17 points while Meredith Soper pulled down 11 rebounds.
The Black Bears started the game on a roll as they would jump out to a 5-0 lead early. Amber Dillon (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) grabbed the ball off the opening tip and found Roberts who knocked down a three to start the game. After Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y.) forced a turnover on the other end of the court, Roberts would draw a foul and knock down a pair of free throws to put Maine up by five just 1:31 into the contest.
The Bulldogs would then fight back, going on an extended 11-0 run to take a 11-5 lead on seven points by Douglas until Soper capped off the run with a jumper six minutes into the game. Maine would cut into the Bulldog lead as Kelsey Mattice (Cicero, N.Y.), playing her first career minutes for the Black Bears, found Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) for an easy lay-in in the paint.
The teams would trade hoops and defensive efforts for a span of six minutes before the Bulldogs added to their lead on a 9-2 run with five minutes remaining in the opening half, taking an 18 point lead at 34-16. The Black Bears would again cut into the lead to close out the half as Mattice knocked down a three pointer, her second of the half, to bring Maine with 14 at the half.
Mattice led the Black Bears in the first half with six points and four assists while Douglas paced the Bulldogs with 15 first half points.
Maine would continue to chomp away at the lead as Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) worked her way inside and laid the ball up and off glass to bring the Black Bears within 12.
The game would stand right around the 11 point spread until Ankoma-Mensa hit a pair of free throws, followed by a shot from the charity stripe by Schissler to regain a 16 point lead for Bryant. However, a jumper at the other end for Baranowski and a free throw by Roberts on Maine's next possession brought the Black Bears again back to within 13 at 53-40 with 9:02 to play.
The Bulldogs would slow things down and work its motion offense to try and eat clock on the Black Bears. Maine just couldn't seem to cut away at the lead anymore as it would fall in the end by the score of 65-53.
Maine returns to action on Friday, Nov. 25 as it hosts the annual Dead River Company Classic. Brown and Evansville will kick-off the tournament at 4 p.m. on Nov. 25 before the Black Bears host Troy in the nightcap with tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.
-U-M-
