University of Maine
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Slips Past Maine in Women's Basketball Action
1/25/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team saw three of its players score in double-figures on Wednesday night inside Memorial Gym but New Hampshire scored 30 points off Black Bear turnovers en route to a 66-50 America East victory. The loss slips Maine back to 5-16 overall and 2-6 America East play while the Wildcats improve to 11-9, 4-4 in league play. Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) led the Black Bears as the sophomore tallied her second career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, earning Maine's America East Player of the Game selection.
Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) chipped in 14 points while Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) added 12 points, her fifth-straight game scoring in double-figures.
Denise Beliveau scored a game-high 24 points as she was named the Wildcats' America East Player of the Game.
New Hampshire used an early 12-2 run, led by back-to-back three pointers by Kelsey Hogan and Cari Reed, to take a nine point advantage with just 6:02 gone in the first half. The game would go back and forth until the Wildcats took their biggest lead of the half, 26-15 with 3:51 to play in the first half.
The Black Bears answered as Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) knocked down a three off an offensive board by Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) to cut the lead to eight. After trading hoops, a free throw by Roberts brought Maine back within seven. However, a 4-0 run over the final 1:02 gave New Hampshire a 32-21 advantage at the half.
Maine came out of the break on a hot streak as a layup by Baranowski off a feed by Anderson cut the lead to nine. After Baranowski found Williams for an opener jumper, Knight hit a pair of free throws to bring the Black Bears back within six. The Wildcats regrouped out of a 30 second timeout, going on a 6-0 run to take a 39-27 lead with 13:48 to play in the final half.
Maine got back within 10 on a made free throw by Williams but an 11-3 run by the Wildcats gave them their biggest lead of the contest at 18 with 7:21 to play. Maine kept battling but would never get within less than 15 as Beliveau scored 16 of her game-high 24 points in the final 11:36, sealing the win for the Wildcats.
The Black Bears return to action on Saturday when they host Binghamton at Alfond Arena. It is a jam packed weekend on campus as the men also battle Binghamton on Saturday beginning at 2 pm with the women following that matchup. It will be Fandemonium at Alfond Arena on Saturday as many great prizes will be raffled off throughout the afternoon.
-U-M-
