University of Maine
Stony Brook
Koizar, Wood Lead Women's Basketball by Stony Brook, 58-55
1/17/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
STONY BROOK, N.Y. -- It came down to the wire but clutch time management and free throw shooting down the stretch gave the University of Maine women's basketball team (11-6, 3-1 America East) a 58-55 victory at Stony Brook (9-8, 2-2 AE) on Saturday afternoon.
Sigi Koizar (Vienna, Austria) and Liz Wood (Catlett, Va.) combined for 40 points to lead the Black Bears. Koizar poured in a career-high 23 points while Wood narrowly missed a double-double with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Maine was efficient from the floor, hitting 20-of-41 (48.8%) and dominated play in the paint as it outscored Stony Brook 32-14 down low. Maine finished 16-for-22 from the free throw line including a couple key makes with under a minute to play.
It was a tight first 20-minutes of play as the largest lead of the half came when Mikaela Gustafsson's (Sodertalje, Sweden) jumper at the 12:48 mark gave the Black Bears a 10-5 lead.
Stony Brook refused to let Maine extend the lead any further as a 4-0 run over the next two minutes brought it back within a point.
Maine's lead reached four with 8:49 to play in the half as Koizar drained a deep three with the shot clock ticking down below five.
The Seawolves were able to grab their first lead of the game as they put together a 7-1 run to take a 20-18 lead with less than five minutes to play.
Stony Brook ran its lead out to three before the Black Bears closed the half on a 3-0 run, sending the game tied at 25 to the break.
Maine's offense began clicking early in the second half. The Black Bears came out of the break on a 9-2 run, with five points from Koizar, as Chantel Charles' (London, England) deep jumper gave Maine its largest lead at 34-27.
Stony Brook chipped the lead down to three before Wood took control. Maine's junior went on a 7-0 run on her own to give the Black Bears their largest lead of the game, 41-31, at the midway point of the second half.
The Seawolves refused to quit as another 7-1 run widdled the Black Bears' lead down to four. Koizar would answer the challenge as she slashed through the lane, making a bucket and drawing the foul. Koizar completed the three-point play with a free throw as Maine's lead reached seven with 2:28 to play.
Stony Brook kept charging and cut Maine's lead all the way down to a pair when Sabre Proctor hit a 3-pointer with 19.3 on the clock. The Seawolves fouled Gustafsson, sending the junior to the line where she hit 1-of-2 to put Maine on top 56-53. Stony Brook raced down the court and attempted a 3-pointer. The shot would fall short but the Seawolves snagged the rebound and called timeout with 3.7 left.
Maine fouled before Stony Brook could inbound the ball. After two Stony Brook free throws, the Seawolves returned the favor, fouling Weckstrom and sending her to the line before anytime ran off the clock. Weckstrom cashed in on both makes to put the Black Bears up three. A last second try from half court by Stony Brook was short as Maine left victorious, 58-55
Maine returns home for a quick turnaround when it hosts Binghamton at 3:30 PM on Monday, Jan. 19. The game is the second of a doubleheader in which the men will host NJIT at 1 PM.
-U-M-
