University of Maine
New Hampshire
Women's Basketball Falls at UNH, 57-40
2/23/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.H. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team fell at New Hampshire, 57-40 on Wednesday night. The loss drops Maine back to 4-23 and 2-13 in America East play while the Wildcats improve to 9-18 and 6-9 in league play. Katelyn Vanderhoff (Lititz, Pa.) was named Maine's America East Player of the Game as she tallied 12 points, all in the second half, four rebounds and three steals.
Lauren Wells and Jill McDonald each tallied 10 points for UNH while Denise Beliveau was named New Hampshire's America East Player of the Game as she tallied nine points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Black Bears would kick off the game with a couple great defensive stands, holding New Hampshire scoreless on multiple possesions before Jill McDonald would get the first points of the game, 3:50 into the contest, on a lay-in. After McDonalds hoop, the Wildcats would continue their run as they would build a 10-0 lead with 13:12 to play in the first half
Maine would fight back and cut the lead in half with a 5-0 run as Amber Smith (Ipswich, Mass.) hit a three before the Black Bears would force a turnover and get a deep jumper from the right corner from Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.). The game would continue scoreless until Tanna Ross (Newburgh, Maine) would add to Maine's run with a three to cut the New Hampshire lead to just two points, 10-8, midway through the half.
New Hampshire would build a four point lead with 2:30 left in the half before Williams would knock down a three to bring Maine within one, 14-13. Lauren Wells would follow with a three for UNH to extend the Wildcat lead to five. After a few hoops, Jaymie Druding (Orchard Park, N.Y.) would get good position inside and draw a foul. Druding would hit the front end of the pair of shots to cut the lead to 20-16 entering halftime.
Williams would lead Maine's offensive production in the first half with seven points. McDonald and Kate Early each tallied six points to lead the Wildcats. Druding pulled down six first half boards to lead Maine while Denise Beliveau tallied eight boards to pace New Hampshire.
The Wildcats would open the half with four points from Beliveau to build their lead to eight, 24-16. Vanderhoff would put a stop to the run as she picked up a steal, the 100th of her career, and raced across court, pulling up in the paint to hit a jumper. However, the Wildcats would put together a quick 5-0 run, fueled by another three by Wells, to extend their lead to 32-18. Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) would get her first points of the game on a pair of free throws before Vanderhoff would force a turnover underneath the Wildcat basket and hit a shot off glass, bringing the Black Bears back within 10 with 11:36 to play in the second half.
The Wildcats would then piece together a 9-0 run over the next 3:34 to build a 19 point lead, 45-27 before Vanderhoff would hit another runner. After trading hoops, back-to-back threes and a jumper by Cari Reed would build the Wildcat lead to 24 with 3:18 to play. Out of a timeout, Ali Nalivaika (Worcester, Mass.) would work on the block and hit a nice turn around jumper, followed by a steal and fastbreak lay-in by Roberts to cut the lead to 55-35. Vanderhoff's second three of the half would cut the lead to 19. Nalivaika would then bring down a board and draw a foul in the process. She would hit both her free-throws to continue Maine's 9-4 run but time would run out as the Wildcats would take the 57-40 victory.
The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, Feb. 26th as they close out the regular season with a game at Albany. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.
-U-M-
