University of Maine
New Hampshire
Wood's Season-High Lifts Women's Hoops by UNH
1/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
DURHAM, N.H. -- Liz Wood posted a season-high 23 points to lead the University of Maine women's basketball team to a 62-52 over New Hampshire on Monday afternoon.
Wood, who recorded the 1,300th point of her career during the game, finished the contest 9-of-11, hitting all three of her 3-point attempts and adding seven rebounds. Her effort on the boards moved her into seventh all-time with 791 rebounds.
Maine, which never trailed in the game, featured two 20+ point scorers for the first time since Dec. 3, 2014 as Sigi Koizar notched 20 points, her seventh time this season besting the 20 point mark.
The Black Bears' league leading defense forced 17 New Hampshire turnovers and held a 21-9 edge in points off turnovers. Maine finished 24-for-60 from the floor (40.0%) while hitting eight 3-pointers.
Maine, which has been sluggish in the first quarter as of late, came out hot after racing to a 13-4 advantage coming as part of an 8-0 run.
New Hampshire answered, cutting the lead to just two early in the second quarter on a triple by Aliza Simpson.
Maine responded, adding to its lead with an 8-3 run as it worked the ball inside for layups on four of its next five possessions.
The Wildcats again cut into the lead, chipping it down to five before Maine ended the half strong with a 6-2 sprint. Bodine's jumper with two-seconds left in the half sent the Black Bears to the locker room with a 31-22 advantage.
Maine's lead grew to double-digits early in the second half after Mikaela Gustafsson's offensive rebound turned into a bucket by Wood, putting the Black Bears on top 35-24.
The lead expanded to 14 as Wood knocked down the first of her three fourth quarter triples.
However, New Hampshire would not go down quietly. Six-straight by Elizabeth Belanger began an 8-0 run for the Wildcats as Maine's lead shrunk to six with 6:56 to play.
Back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers by Wood, Lauren Bodine and Wood again quickly turned the momentum back to Maine, growing the lead up to 15.
The Black Bears' advantage did not shrink under double-digits the rest of the way as Maine captured its fourth America East victory of the season, 62-52.
Maine returns home on Sunday, Jan. 24 when it hosts Stony Brook at 1 p.m.
-UMaine-
