University of Maine
Siena
Women's Basketball Falls to Siena on Last Second Three
12/5/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (1-7) worked to create a 12-point halftime lead but saw it slip away in the end as Siena (3-5) hit a three-pointer with just 2.7 seconds left to take a three point lead and ultimately take the contest 53-50. Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) led the Black Bears with 12 points and six rebounds while Danielle Walczak (Lee, N.H.) and Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) each netted eight.
The Black Bears shot 41.2% from the field and outscored the Saints' bench by a 20-10 margin but were held to 17 second half points and were just 1-for-4 from the free throw line.
Lily Grenci and Ida Krogh each tallied 13 to lead Siena.
With the game knotted at 11, Wood hit a three from the top of the key to jump start an 8-2 Black Bear run. Following a Saints' make and a pair of free throws from Wood, Anderson and the Black Bears worked through its offense. Anderson penetrated the lane, drawing the defense to the paint while she slipped a pass to Walczak who convereted for two. Chantel Charles (London, U.K.) forced a steal on the opposite end and broke out on a fast break, ending with a pass to Anderson who layed it in for two, giving Maine a 19-13 lead.
Charles' three from the left wing with just over five minutes remaining in the opening half started another 8-2 run for Maine. Following another Black Bear steal, Maine found Mikaela Gustafsson (Sodertalje, Sweden) all alone underneath for two more. After a pair of Siena free throws, Wood worked to get separation on the left wing before hitting her second three of the half to give Maine a double-digit lead, 29-19.
Maine's offense ended the half strong as Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) hit a pull up jumper in the lane for a pair. With the time running out in the half, Roberts again controlled the ball for Maine, working along the perimeter before firing a laser pass through the lane to Anna Heise (Halle, Germany) on the right block. Heise's layup as time expired gave the Black Bears a 33-21 lead at the half.
The Black Bears shot 51.9% from the field in the opening half while holding the Saints to just 27.3% . Maine turned 15 Siena turnovers into 14 points while also getting great production off its bench, outscoring the Saints' bench 15-2. Wood paced the first half attack for Maine with seven points and three rebounds.
After Siena started the second half on a quick 4-0 run, Maine wasted no time answering as Wood and Charles knocked down back-to-back threes, running the Maine lead to 15.
The Saints began chipping away at the Maine lead, cutting the advantage to just six over the next four minutes. Following a Maine hoop, the Saints broke out an extended 13-2 run over the next seven minutes. Siena's Kanika Cummings ended the run with a three from the top of the key as the Saints' battled back to take a three point lead with just under four minutes to play in the second half.
Anderson's three tied things up once again before Siena regained a two point edge with under two minutes to play. Walczak battled down low for a running shot in the lane to once again knot the score at 50-50.
Siena setup an out of bounds play in the Maine offensive zone with just 9.9 seconds left. The Saints found Krogh at the top of the key who hit a three, giving Siena a three point lead with 2.7 left.
Maine worked off its own sideline play and would get a look as time expired but the shot would go long as Siena took the win 53-50.
The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, Dec. 8 when they meet Rhode Island at the Portland Expo at 1 PM. Fo tickets, please call 581-BEAR or visit GoBlackBearsTickets.com. Tickets are $8 for adults, $4 for youth and group tickets are $2 each. All seating is general admission.
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