University of Maine
Vermont
Baranowski Nets Career-High as Maine Defeats Vermont, 70-60
1/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Highlights
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (4-14, 1-4 America East) used the combination of free throw shooting and work inside the paint, scoring 66 of its 70 total points from either the free throw line or inside the bucket, to pick up its first America East win of the season, 70-60 over the visiting Vermont Catamounts (8-11, 2-4 America East) on Monday evening. Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) was named Maine's America East Player of the Game as she recorded a career-high 18 points while going 10-for-14 from the free throw line, to lead the Maine attack.
Three other Black Bears tallied double-figures as Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) netted 11 points and Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) and Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) each notched 10 points.
Niki Taylor was named Vermont's America East Player of the Game as she totaled 17 points and nine rebounds.
The Black Bears did a solid job getting the ball inside in the opening half as they scored 24 of their 35 points from inside the paint, coupled with a 7-for-10 performance from the free throw line and a 12-0 run over the final 6:24 that gave them a 35-23 lead at the half. Maine pieced together a three minute 6-0 midway through the first half to gain a six point advantage. Kelsey Mattice (Cicero, N.Y.) got the offense moving as she found Roberts for a bucket before working the ball around to Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) for two more. Roberts then cashed in on an offensive put back to give the Black Bears a 12-6 advantage.
The Catamounts answered, piecing together a run of its own, leading to a three-pointer by Kristine Lalonde that knotted things up with 7:35 to play.
Maine responded with a 12-0 run over the remaining 6:24, fueled by solid inside play and nice work by the guards feeding the posts, as the Black Bears found themselves up 35-23 heading into the locker room. Knight started the extended run for Maine when fellow freshman Anderson hit her with a pass that Knight turned into a layup. After Baranowski knocked down back-to-back jumpers, Danielle Walczak (Lee, N.H.) and Baranowski each tallied free throws to bring the Maine lead to eight. The run continued as Roberts worked her way inside for a layup before a defensive rebound by Knight led to a Williams bucket on the opposite end, completing the 12-0 run and sending the Black Bears into the half with a 35-23 advantage.
Vermont continued to work, chipping away at the Maine lead until a pair of free throws by Shavonne White cut the Black Bear advantage down to nine at 47-38 with 7:17 remaining in the second half. The Black Bears stood strong, running off an 8-2 run of their own, fueled by buckets by Walczak and Williams, to take their biggest lead of the contest at 15 with just 4:52 to play in the final half.
The Catamounts kept charging, cutting the lead down to eight at one point but the Black Bears were clutch at the free throw line, hitting 16 of 18 shots from the charity stripe, eight each from Anderson and Baranowski, in the final two minutes to lock down the win, 70-60.
Maine now takes to the road for a pair of America East contest as they will battle Hartford on Thursday evening before meeting up with Stony Brook on Saturday at 2 p.m.
-U-M-
