Box Score Cambridge, Mass. --
Sigi Koizar tallied 21 points on Tuesday evening but it wasn't enough as the University of Maine women's basketball team (1-2) dropped a 69-62 decision at Harvard on Tuesday evening.
The Black Bears hit 5-of-10 three-pointers in the first half and carried a 37-34 lead into the break but were unable to hold on.
Koizar, who went 9-for-9 from the free throw line, surpassed the 20-point mark for the 19th time in her career. Three other Black Bears joined Koizar in double-figures with
Laia Sole (13),
Blanca Millan (10) and
Tanesha Sutton (10) reaching the line.
As a unit, the Black Bears were nearly perfect from the charity stripe (13-for-14) and added 15 assists on 21 field goals.
Harvard's Destiny Nunley led all scorers with 22 points on a 9-for-12 night from the floor.
Maine, which trailed by five early, was able to reel off a 13-2 run in the first quarter. Keyed by four points from Millan on the run, Koizar's three capped off the run to give the Black Bears a 13-7 edge.
Early in the second quarter, Sutton knocked down one of Maine's seven 3-point field goals, lifting Maine to its largest lead of the first half, 25-18.
The Crimson rattled off the next seven points to force one of the games three ties.
Maine was able to fight back, rebuilding its lead out to seven before carrying a 37-34 lead into the half.
Millan's 3-pointer early in the third quarter put Maine on top 43-39. Harvard would answer with a 5-0 run to give it a 44-43 lead with 4:45 on the clock.
Back-to-back hoop and harm buckets from Millan and Koizar, followed by a jumper from Sole, gave the Black Bears a 51-46 advantage.
The Crimson closed the quarter on an 8-2 run to take a 54-53 lead into the fourth.
Harvard extended its lead to five early in the period. Maine was able to cut the Crimson advantage down to just a pair on two occasions over the last 10-minutes but failed to get over the hump. Harvard, which took it largest lead of the game, 67-60, with 1:37 to play, was able to hang on, taking the contest by a final of 69-62.
Maine is back in action when it takes part in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge beginning on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. when it meets Saint Peter's in Columbia, S.C.
-UMaine-
