University of Maine
Boston U.
Solid First Half Not Enough as Maine Falls to Boston University
2/8/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- Down 15 midway through the first half the Black Bears showed resilence and came to life as they would battle back and trail the current number one ranked team in the league in undefeated Boston University by just three at the half. However, the Terriers outscored Maine 43-23 in the second half to grab the America East victory 73-50. The loss slips Maine back to 6-18 overall, 3-8 in league play while Boston University improves to 18-6 and remainds undefeated in America East action at 11-0.
Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) continued her hot play in conference action as she was named Maine's America East Player of the Game after she narrowly missed her second double-double of the season, tallying 11 points and nine rebounds. Danielle Walczak (Lee, N.H.) also excelled in the post with 11 points and four rebounds.
Chantell Alford paced Boston University with 18 points as she went 6-for-9 from three-point range, earning her honors as the Terrier America East Player of the Game.
Boston University opened up a sizeable lead as they shot five-for-six from behind the arc, including four three-pointers from Chantell Alford, en route to taking a 25-10 lead midway through the first half. However the Black Bears dominated inside, holding a 16-4 first half advantage on points in the paint. The Black Bears chipped away at the early Terrier lead, cutting it to 10 on a layup by Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) and a three by Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.). The Terriers responded with another three but that would be it for a while as Maine held Boston University scoreless over the next 7:16, cutting the Terrier lead down to five as the Black Bears rolled out an 8-0 run over the period.
Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) jumpe started the run as she found Walczak who was able to knock down the short jumper. Baranowski kept the run alive as she controled the ball at the foul line, finding Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) on a nice backdoor cut for two. Baranowski kept the offense rolling on Maine's next possession as the senior tri-captain made a diving save on the baseline, hitting the ball right to Walczak who layed the ball up and in. Baranowski tallied her third assist in a row as she found Anderson for a deep jumper, cutting the Terrier lead to five, 28-23, with 1:48 to play in the half.
A pair of Terrier free throws ended the Maine run before Baranowski once again came up big, battling hard down low for an offensive board before going right back up strong for a basket. The Black Bears entered the locker room trailing by just three after Anderson found Baranowski who knocked down a jump hook in the paint.
The Black Bears continued to produce a solid effort in the second half, hanging tough early on on back-to-back layins by Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) and Baranowski but Boston University saw its lead extend back to 15 when Rashidat Agboola capitalized on a layup to complete a 10-2 run with 9:11 remaining in the second half.
The Terriers grabbed their biggest lead of the contest at 24 following a 15-2 run over a five minute span in the waning minutes of the second half. Maine kept battling as Rachele Burns (Gorham, Maine) and Williams each hit three-pointers in the final minute but Boston University would hang on, taking the America East contest 70-53.
Maine returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. when it travels to battle Albany.
-U-M-
