University of Maine
Boston College
Women's Basketball Defeats Boston College to Capture Thanksgiving Tournament Championship
11/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BANGOR, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (3-3) defeated visiting Boston College (4-2) in overtime by a score of 69-64 to capture its first Thanksgiving Tournament Championship since 2006.
Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) matched a career-high with a game-high 22 points and eight rebounds to lead Maine in the thrilling victory over Atlantic Coast Conference foe Boston College. Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) added 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the win while Anna Heise (Halle, Germany) added seven points and three rebounds. Wood was named the Tournament MVP while Koizar and Heise each earned spots on the All-Tournament team.
Maine's defense was on point all day as it forced 22 Boston College turnovers. Maine went 25-for-61 (41.0-percent) from the floor and hit 10 3-pointers in the victory.
The Eagles started hot as they were able to extend an early lead out to seven with 12:46 to play in the opening half.
Maine's offense began ticking when Christiana Gerostergiou (Thessaloniki, Greece) hit a 3-pointer to jump start a 13-0 Black Bear sprint. Koizar knotted the score with a pair of free throws before Lauren Bodine (Louisville, Ky.) and Gerostergiou hit back-to-back threes to give Maine a 19-13 lead with 9:26 left in the half.
With the Black Bears up by five and just under five minutes remaining in the first half, Boston College put together a 15-4 run, keyed by a trio of 3-pointers from Kelly Hughes, to put the Eagles back on top 34-28.
Wood cut the lead down to three when she cashed in from beyond the arc as Maine trailed 34-31 at the break.
The game remained tight throughout the second half with neither team leading by more than three. Boston College clung to a three point edge with 3:17 to play before Koizar slashed through the lane and hit a layup while drawing a foul. The sophomore point guard tied things with a make on the free throw with 2:24 to play in regulation.
A layup by Boston College's Karima Gabriel with 1:26 to play put the Eagles up by a pair. The Black Bears sent Boston College to the free throw line but a violation from the Eagles gave the ball back to Maine with 29-seconds left.
Bodine's 3-pointer was off the mark but Wood snatched the offensive board off a tip before laying the ball in to knot the score at 58-58 and ultimately send the contest into overtime.
Maine opened overtime with an 8-2 run on 3-pointers by Koizar and Bodine to take a 66-60 lead with 1:05 to play in the extra frame.
The Black Bears closed things out by going 3-for-4 down the stretch from the free throw line to seal the 69-64 victory.
Maine heads back to the road on Wednesday, Dec. 3 when it takes on Central Connecticut State at 7 p.m.
-U-M-
