University of Maine
Auburn
Women's Basketball Drops Regular Season Opener to Auburn
11/9/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
RALIEGH, N.C. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (0-1) dropped its regular season opener 71-41 to Auburn (1-0) in the opening round of the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational on Friday, Nov. 9. Anna Heise (Halle, Germany) led the Maine offensive attack with 12 points and four rebounds on 5-for-12 shooting from the field. Fellow freshman Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) tallied eight points with four rebounds and a pair of assists.
Hasina Muhammad led the Auburn attack with a career-high 20 points while Tyrese Tanner added 15 points and nine rebounds.
Auburn worked its way to an eight-point lead after breaking out on a 11-2 run midway through the second half before the Black Bears answered with a 7-0 run of their own. Mikaela Gustafsson (Sodertalje, Sweden) snapped the Tiger run with a layup inside. After forcing a Tiger turnover, the Black Bears raced down the court before Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) finished the fastbreak with an offensive rebound put back. Maine's defense came up big again as the Black Bears gained possession and setup on its own offensive end. The Black Bears worked the ball around the perimeter until Gustafsson knocked down a deep three from the right wing, bringing Maine back within one, 20-19, with 5:20 remaining in the opening half.
The Tigers answered as they went on an extended 15-4 run to close out the half, powered on a pair of three pointers from Muhammad, to take a 35-23 lead into the half.
Heise paced Maine's first half attack going 4-for-7 from the field and a perfect 2-for-2 from the free throw line en route to 10 points. As a team, Maine went 9-for-22 from the field in the opening half. Muhammad led the Tigers with 10 opening half points while Tanner added eight points and eight rebounds.
Auburn extended its lead to 48-25 as it started the second half on a 13-2 run fueled by a pair of buckets from Peyton Davis. Maine's Brittany Wells (Indianapolis, Ind.) put an end to the Auburn run with a move on the left wing which ended in a pull-up jumper from the left elbow.
The Tigers' Muhammad answered the made Maine bucket with a 7-0 run of her own to push the Auburn lead to 58-29 with 7:38 to play in the second half.
Wood looked to give the Black Bears a spark late in the second half with back-to-back buckets. Wood began her scoring as she drove the lane, checked off the defender and layed the ball up and off glass. Next time down the floor, Wood knocked down a three from the left wing.
However, Auburn would hold on throughout the remaining minutes of the second half and take the game 71-41.
Maine returns to action tomorrow as it battles Wofford at 5 PM to close out the Sheraton Raleigh Wolfpack Invitational.
-U-M-
