University of Maine
LIU Brooklyn
Women's Basketball Outlasts LIU-Brooklyn in Overtime
11/16/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BANGOR, Maine -- Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) scored eight of her career-high 22 points in overtime as the University of Maine women's basketball team outlasted visiting LIU-Brooklyn 65-59 in extra time on Sunday afternoon.
The Black Bears found their mark at the free throw line in overtime, going 9-for-13 from the stripe in extra time to clinch the victory.
Maine featured three scorers who tallied double-figures led by Koizar's career night. Maine's sophomore point guard went 6-for-13 from the floor while adding 10 points from the free throw line in 44-minutes of play. Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) totaled 14 points, her seventh straight-game in double digits, to go along with a game-high six steals. Sophie Weckstrom (Espoo, Finland) was a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe, chipping 13 points off the bench.
Neither team led by more than six points throughout the contest which featured 12 ties and 11 lead changes.
LIU-Brooklyn set the pace through much of the first half, taking it largest lead of the opening stanza when Letava Whippy put the Blackbirds up 20-16 with 6:09 left in the half.
Maine responded with four straight points from Weckstrom to tie the game for the fifth time. The Blackbirds extended their lead out to three moments later before the Black Bears went on a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game with 2:28 left in the half. A layup from Weckstrom knotted the game before a pair of buckets from Koizar put Maine up four. Bella Swan (Farmington, Ut.) put Maine up six with a late jumper. The Black Bears carried a 29-25 lead into the break.
LIU-Brooklyn came out strong after halftime as it began with a 7-3 run to tie the score with 4:53 gone in the half.
The Blackbirds continued their strong effort with a 6-1 run at the midway point to take their largest lead of the game, 47-41.
Wood spearheaded Maine's late comeback with a layup before knocking down four-straight free throws to put the Black Bears back on top by one with 3:38 to play.
LIU-Brooklyn refused to go away as they finished the second half with a 5-2 run to force the 11th tie of regulation. A last second try from the Blackbirds would miss the mark, sending the game into overtime.
Koizar found her mark early in overtime with the first three points of the extra session. LIU-Brooklyn fought back, taking a one point lead with a 3-pointer by Brianna Farris before Koizar knotted things.
Maine knocked down its free throws down the stretch, ending the game on a 6-0 run to pick up its first victory of the season, 65-59.
The Black Bears return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m. when they travel to take on UMass.
-U-M-
