Women's Basketball Closes Non-Conference Slate Thursday at North Carolina
12/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (9-5) goes for its second win over an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponent this season when it travels to take on North Carolina on Thursday, Dec. 31 at 1 p.m.
FOLLOW YOUR BLACK BEARS:
- WATCH - Thursday's game will be carried on GoHeelsTV
- LISTEN - Don Shields will have the call live at 94.1 WGUY-FM and nationally at GoBlackBears.com
- LIVE STATS
- TWITTER - Follow @BlackBearsWBB for live in game updates
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine has won three of its last four after a most recent slip at Purdue which saw the Black Bears fall by a score of 56-33. Sigi Koizar led Maine with nine points against the Boilermakers while Bella Swan added eight points and a career-high 10 boards.
Sigi Koizar leads the Maine offense, averaging 17.0 points while tallying double-figures in 12 of the Black Bears' 14 games. Koizar ranks fourth in the conference and 97th nationally in scoring. The sophomore guard isn't just scoring herself, she's dishing out her fair share of helpers as she ranks eighth in America East in assists (3.8). Koizar is cashing in at a high-rate as her 50.6% mark from the floor ranks tops on the team and second in the league. She is shooting 81.8% from the free throw stripe and leads the league at 45.1% from the 3-point arc, 32nd among NCAA leaders. Her 32 makes from long range also lead the league and sit her 23rd nationally. Liz Wood is averaging 9.4 points and has been solid both on the boards and defensively. Wood leads the Black Bears in rebounding (7.4) and steals (2.8) while adding 2.8 assists. Wood has tallied double-digit rebounds in four games and finished with five or more in 11 of Maine's first 14 games. Defensively, Wood leads the league and ranks eighth nationally in steals (39) and sits second in the league in steals per game (2.8). Mikaela Gustafsson continues her consistent season in the paint, averaging 8.4 points and 3.9 rebounds while hitting at a 49.5% rate. Gustafsson is averaging 10.3 points and 3.3 rebounds over her last four games, including an 18 point effort at Dartmouth. Bella Swan is adding 6.1 points and 4.6 rebounds while Sophie Weckstrom is averaging 7.4 points, shooting 31.1% from 3-point range.
Maine ranks 19th in the nation defensively, allowing just 52.2 points per game and have held 12 of its 14 opponents under 60 points and six under 50 including LSU and Clemson. Maine ranks 37th nationally in total steals (121), averaging 8.6 per game. The Black Bears, averaging 60.5 points per game, are shooting 67.8% from the free throw line and rank second in the league at 44.6% from the field and are also second from 3-point range (30.8%). Their 6.3 makes from 3-point range are best in the America East. Maine's 221 assists rank 17th nationally as it sits 35th in the country with a 1.16 assists to turnover ratio.
SCOUTING NORTH CAROLINA:
The Tar Heels enter the match-up riding a three-game win streak after narrowly defeating America East opponent New Hampshire, 65-60, on Tuesday evening. Sophomore Jamie Cherry led UNC with 20 points against the Wildcats and leads all Tar Heels in scoring at 15.6 points per game. Freshmen Destinee Walker (15.5) and Stephanie Watts (12.4) are both also averaging double-figures on the year. Hillary Summers is averaging 9.6 points and leads the team with 7.6 rebounds while ranking third in the ACC in blocks (2.1).
UNC takes advantage at the free throw line where they rank ninth in the country with 197 makes from the stripe and rank fourth in the ACC at 71.5%. Maine will have to keep UNC off the glass at the offensive end as the Tar Heels enter averaging 16.5 offensive boards per game. UNC enters averaging 70.4 points per game while shooting 40.5% from the floor and 28.1% from 3-point range.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE SERIES:
This will be the fourth meeting between Maine and North Carolina with the Tar Heels holding a 3-0 advantage. The two team's met last season at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, a game won by then No. 6 ranked North Carolina, 65-36. The 65 point total was the fourth lowest last season for the Tar Heels. Sigi Koizar totaled nine points in the contest while Liz Wood notched 10 rebounds. Bella Swan finished with seven points. Maine will be making its first trip to Chapel Hill as all previous meetings have been neutral site contests, including a 62-57 loss in the NCAA tournament held in Santa Barbara, Calif. on March 18, 2000. Maine lost the first ever meeting 68-52 on Dec. 28, 1996 when the two met at the Big Four Classic hosted at the Greensboro Coliseum. Maine will be looking for its second-straight victory over an ACC opponent after a convincing 75-42 win against Clemson earlier this season.
-UMaine-
