Women's Basketball Opens 2013 at VCU on New Year's Day
12/31/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Game Notes -- Live Stats -- Video -- Audio
RICHMOND, Va. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (1-11) completes its non-conference schedule when it meets Virginia Commonwealth (6-7) on New Year's Day in Richmond, Va. at 2 PM.
The Black Bears continue their current eight game road swing with the seventh game away from Alfond Arena. Maine, currently in the midst of a eight game losing skid, enters the game averaging 52.3 PPG while shooting 35.9% from the field. Maine is averaging 25.8% from long range and 65.8% from the free throw line while pulling down 36.3 rebounds. Maine dishes out 12.4 assists per game while swiping 7.1 steals. Last time out, the Black Bears lost a close decision by a score of 69-64 at Towson. Maine had three scorers in double-figures as Danielle Walczak led the way with a career-high 20 points. Ashleigh Roberts chipped in 13 points while Liz Wood tallied her second double-double of the year with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Black Bears led 35-30 at the half but failed to hold the lead late.
Junior guard Ashleigh Roberts leads the Maine offense against VCU as she is leading the team in points per game (11.2) and steals (1.2) while shooting 41.1% from the field while pulling down 4.8 rebounds. Danielle Walczak, coming off a career-high 20 points day at Towson, is chipping in 9.2 points and 4.7 rebounds and leads the team with a 48.6% mark from the field. Freshman Liz Wood is averaging 7.5 PPG and leads the Black Bears in rebounding at 5.6 per game. Wood currently ranks second in the America East in freshman scoring. Anna Heise is netting 6.4 PPG with 3.5 rebounds and shoots 78.3% from the free throw line. Courtney Anderson is tallying 4.8 PPG with 3.2 rebounds while Sophie Weckstrom is averaging 3.2 PPG and a team-high 2.2 assists.
VCU enters the contest at 6-7 overall but have won just one of its last four matchups. The Rams defeated NJIT 64-52 back on Dec. 21 but most recently dropped an 88-50 decision at Ohio State. VCU had three scorers in double figures at Ohio State, led by Robyn Parks and Kaneisha Atwater's 13. Overall, the Rams average 63.7 points per game while giving up 63.4. VCU shoots 39.8% from the field, 34.6% from beyond the arc and 66.0% from the free throw line while pulling down 39.6 rebounds per game. The Rams are led by Robyn Parks' 17.5 PPG. Parks also leads the squad in rebounds per game (7.7) while swiping 2.2 steals. Jessica Pellechio is also averaging double-figures in scoring with 12.8 PPG while pulling down 2.8 rebounds. Shekinah Henry is averaging 5.9 PPG with a team-high 56.5% mark from the field. Carleeda Green leads the team with 4.2 assists per game while dropping 5.0 PPG.
This will be the third overall meeting between Maine and VCU. The Black Bears and VCU will complete its 2012-13 home-and-home series as VCU defeated Maine earlier this season on Nov. 24 by a score of 74-58 in Orono. Freshman Brittany Wells led the Black Bears last tiem out against VCU as she tallied 14 points, including a pair of three-pointers, to go along with three rebounds. Liz Wood added nine points while Danielle Walczak and Anna Heise each netted eight. Maine shot 37.7% from the field in the last meeting. In the first ever meeting between the two teams, the Rams defeated the Black Bears by a score of 70-64 on Dec. 9, 1989 in the opening round of the VCU tournament.
-U-M-
