Women's Basketball Hits the Road to Face Long Island Univ.
11/21/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
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ORONO, Maine -- The Black Bears take to the road for the first time this season as they travel to take on Long Island University - Brooklyn on Friday evening at 7 PM. Maine looks to move to 3-0 for the first time since 1989 and looks for its first road opener win since defeating Bryant on the road in 2010.
The Black Bears, entering their 50th season of competition, coming off a season in which they were one of the youngest teams in the country, return 11 letterwinners from last season's 4-24 squad. Of that 11, Maine returns four starters including America East Co-Rookie of the Year Liz Wood. Wood, who led all America East Rookies in scoring and rebounding throughout the 2012-13 season, was a six-time America East Rookie of the Week, averaged 10.3 points and 6.6 rebounds during the season. Wood led the Black Bears in assists (2.4) and steals (1.5) while shooting 35.5% from the field and 27.5% from beyond the arc. The freshman guard/forward combo ranked 14th in the league in scoring and seventh in rebounding. Maine also returns senior Ashleigh Roberts who led the Black Bears in scoring at 10.4 points with 4.7 rebounds. Courtney Anderson returns at the point as a junior averaging 4.7 points and 3.2 rebounds. Lauren Bodine returns for her sophomore year a season after ranking ninth in America East in three-point field goal percentage at 34.1%. Bodine ended the 2012-13 on a hot streak, scoring in double figures in her last four games. Maine welcomes two freshmen to this season's squad; 5-10 forward Sheraton Jones and 5-8 guard Sigi Koizar.
Maine, off to its best start since 2005, have won its first two games and enter the weekend averaging 69.5 points per game. The Black Bears have shot very well early on, hitting at 42.0-percent from the fieldand 40.0-percent from three-point range. Senior guard Ashleigh Roberts has led the charge as she is averaging 17.0 points and 4.5 rebounds. Maine has received solid production off its bench, led by freshman guard Sigi Koizar who is chipping in 10.0 points, 4,0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Sophomore forward Liz Wood is averaging 7.0 points and a team high 8.0 rebounds. As a unit, Maine has limited its turnover, averaging just 12.0 per game while forcing 17.5. In each of Maine's first two games it has fought back from double-digit deficits to take the victory in the end.
Long Island University enters Friday night at 0-2 after dropping contests to Columbia (62-59) and at Rider (62-48). In both games, senior Cleandra Roberts has led the Blackbirds in scoring. Roberts enters the weekend averaging a double-double with 19.5 points and 12.5 rebonuds. Roberts is assisted by junior guard Letava Whippy who is averaging 13.0 points and 8.5 rebounds with 2.5 assists. As a unit, LIU is averaging 53.5 points but are giving up 62.0. TheBlackbirds shoot 35.1-percent from the field and are struggling from beyond the arc, shooting just 2-for-23 (0.87-percent). Long Island has outrebounded its competition by a +9.0 mark (43.5-34.5) through its first two games. The Blackbirds return three starters and eight total letterwinners from a 2012-13 squad which finished 7-22 and 4-14 in the NEC.
Maine and Long Island have met just one time in history; a 55-33 win for the Black Bears in the opening round of the Dead River Company Classic on Dec. 3, 1993. Maine has already defeated a team from the NEC this season (Bryant) and are 18-7 all-time against members of the Northeast Conference.
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