Box Score Columbia, S.C. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team limited Saint Peter's to just 18 points in the second half as it cruised to a 59-43 victory in game one of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Challenge on Sunday evening.

Laia Sole tallied a game-high 16 points to lead the Black Bears. Tanesha Sutton filled the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds and six assist while Sigi Koizar chipped in eight points and three steals.

Maine was exceptional in taking care of the ball, turning it over just seven times over the 40 minute contest. Defensively, Maine forced 26 turnovers, outscoring the Peacocks 26-2 in points off turnovers.

Despite struggling from beyond the arc (4-for-20), Maine was able to capitalize inside with 30 points in the paint while controlling play inside and holding Saint Peter's to only 12 points down low.

Maine, which trailed by a pair late in the first quarter, put together an extended 9-2 run, capped with a bucket and a free through from Koizar, to take a seven point edge midway through the second quarter.

The lead extended to nine on a jumper from Sole with 3:38 left in the half. At the break, the Black Bear lead was 32-25. Sole tallied 13 of her game-high 16 over the opening 20 minutes which saw Maine force 12 turnovers while only giving the ball away three times.

Maine's offense rolled early in the second half as it began the third quarter with an 8-0 run to extend its lead out to 40-25.

The Peacocks answered, piecing together a 6-0 run to cut the lead to nine, where it would stay entering the fourth quarter.

Sole completed a hoop and harm 3-point play to jump start a 7-0 Black Bear sprint early in the fourth, giving Maine its largest lead of the game (16), 53-37, with 7:06 to play.

The Maine lead would not shrink under 10 the rest of the way as it was able to capture a 59-43 victory for its first win away from home of the season.

The Black Bears are back in action tomorrow at 7 p.m. when they meet #3 South Carolina.

-UMaine-