University of Maine
Massachusetts
Wood Career-High Leads Women's Basketball Past UMass, 86-56
11/29/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) poured in a career-high 24 points as the University of Maine women's basketball team (4-1) defeated UMass 86-56 in the opening round of the Black Bear Thanksgiving Tournament on Friday evening. Maine's 86 points were the most scored since posting 87 in a win against Stephen F. Austin in 2009. The 30-point win is Maine's largest margin of victory since it defeated Kennesaw State 88-56 in 2005, also in the Black Bears' November tournament.
Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) totaled a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, going 7-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line, while Sophie Weckstrom (Espoo, Finland) added 11 points.
The Black Bears shot a season best 55.4% (31-for-56) from the field, including a 20-for-30 mark in the second half, and 48.0% (12-for-25) from three-point range.
Maine started off on a quick run, jumping out to a 7-2 lead over UMass after a key three by Courtney Anderson (Greene, Maine) with the shot clock ticking down to single digits.
The Minutewomen battled back, tying the game at 12-12 on a jumper from Amber Dillon at 10:29.
The Black Bears answered with an extended 7-0 run, stretching their lead to 19-12 with 6:28 to play in the half. Roberts jump started the run with six straight points before Sheraton Jones (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) tallied her first collegiate point with a free throw to end the run.
UMass chipped away at the Maine lead, cutting it down to four on another run ending jumper from Dillon. Maine's answer came from Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) who knocked down a three from the left wing. The Black Bears grabbed their largest lead of the first half when Wood worked her way inside for two before hitting a three at the buzzer for three of her first half high 12 points as Maine took a 30-18 lead to the break.
The Black Bears stayed hot in the second half, outscoring UMass 56-38 in the final 20-minutes. After the Minutewomen cut the Maine lead to eight, 1:05 into the second half, Maine responded with a 10-2 run over the next two minutes and change, capped by a jumper from Weckstrom, to take a 17-point lead.
UMass answered with a 9-0 run of its own to chip the Maine lead back down to single digits, 40-32, with 15:01 to play.
Maine refused to let UMass get any closer as Roberts slashed through the lane for a pair before Wood put a shot off glass and in while getting fouled. Wood's free throw would be followed by a Weckstrom three, building Maine's lead back to 16.
Leading by 15 with 12:27 to play, Maine put together a 13-2 run over a two and a half minute lapse to stretch its lead to 26.
Back to back three point shots from Weckstrom and Lauren Bodine (Louisville, Ky.), followed by a layup by Roberts off a Koizar rebound, gave the Black Bears a 33 point edge. Maine kept charging, gaining its largest lead of the contest when a pair of Koizar free throws gave it a 79-44 edge with 4:58 to play.
The lead would not fall under 30 the rest of the way as the Black Bears moved to 4-1 with an 86-56 victory.
Maine will play Wisconsin-Green Bay in the Championship of the Black Bear Thanksgiving Tournament on Saturday at 2 PM.
