University of Maine
Brown
Black Bears Fall in Overtime of Dead River Company Classic Championship Game, 61-59
11/26/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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ORONO, Maine -- Ashleigh Roberts' (Wilmington, Del.) fastbreak layup with just seconds left in regulation would tie things up at 56-56, sending the Dead River Company Classic Championship into overtime. However, Brown would outscore the Black Bears by a slim 5-3 margin in the extra session to give them the Championship by a final score of 61-59.
Roberts, the America East Player of the Game, led the way for the Black Bears as she hit a pair of big shots from beyond the arc on her way to a game-high 15 points. Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) also had double-digits as she went 4-for-7 from the field, totaling 11 points. Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y.) was a presence in the paint for Maine as she had nine points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
The two teams would spend the opening minutes feeling each other out until Brown broke out on an 11-2 run to extend its lead to nine, 19-10 with 7:36 to play in the opening half. With Maine down by 10, Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) would swing the ball over to Anderson on the right wing. Anderson would catch and immediately knock down a three to cut the lead to seven. After a Brown jumper, Anderson would battle inside, gaining position and grabbing an offensive board. The freshman guard's jumper would once again cut the Brown Bears lead to seven, starting a 6-0 run for Maine. After a spot-up jumper by Amber Smith (Ipswich, Mass.) and a layup by Roberts, Maine would find itself only down three with 3:02 to play in the half.
The two teams would trade hoops for the remainder of the half as Brown would take a 27-24 advantage into the break.
The Black Bears would come out of the half and continue to chip away at the lead as Wellington worked her way inside, laying the ball up and off glass to bring Maine within one, 27-26.
Brown would respond with a 10-4 over the next seven minutes to regain a seven point advantage.
Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) would put an end to the run as she went right back up with an offensive board to bring Maine within five. On Maine's next possession, Shareka Maner (Spring Hill, Fla.) pulled down an offensive board and kicked it out to Roberts who would knock down the three. After a Brown make, Amber Dillon (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) would kick the ball over to Roberts on the right wing. Roberts would again hit a three to cut the Brown lead to just one, 39-38.
With the Brown lead at two after a jumper by Maner, the Black Bears would force a turnover with a chance to take its first leaf of the game. Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) would control the ball, swinging a pass over to Anderson who hit another three to give the Black Bears a 43-42 lead.
Brown would once again answer as it went on an extended 10-5 run over the next 4:30, capped off by a trey by Lindsay Nickel. At the 1:34 mark, Williams would start the comeback for Maine once again as she knocked down a free throw. The Black Bears would regain possession after a miss by Brown as Wellington would pull down an offensive board and capitalize with a put back. A pair of free throws by Hannah Passafuime would give Brown a five point advantage with just 57 seconds remaining.
Williams would streak up the court and find Anderson in the right corner. Anderson would hit one of her three, three pointers to cut the lead to two. Roberts would come down with the rebound off a Passafuime missed rebound, sprint up court, and lay the ball in to tie things up.
With the game tied and 3:20 to play in overtime, Wellington's free throw make would give Maine a 59-58 lead. However, Lauren Clark would hit a layup and then a free throw with just two seconds left to seal the win for Brown.
Roberts and Anderson were named to the All-Tournament team for the Black Bears.
Maine returns to action with a 6 p.m. tipoff in The Pit on Tuesday, Nov. 29 against Maine Maritime Academy.
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