University of Maine
UMBC
Women's Basketball Routs UMBC, 72-38
2/6/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BALTIMORE, Md. -- Bella Swan poured in a career-high 21 points as the University of Maine women's basketball team defeated UMBC by a score of 72-38 on Saturday afternoon. The Black Bears improved to 18-7 overall and 8-1 in America East action.
Maine's defense again was the talk of the game. The Black Bears held their second opponent in three games to just 38 points and turned 20 UMBC mishaps into a 25-6 advantage in points of turnovers. The Retrievers shot just 28 percent (14-50) from the field. Maine pulled down 39 rebounds and totaled 14 second chance points.
Sigi Koizar filled the stat line, finishing with 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals while Liz Wood added 10 points.
The Black Bears got off to a great start, outscoring UMBC 22-10 in the first quarter. With Maine leading by four with 4:09 left in the quarter, the Black Bears put together an 11-1 run. Swan a 7-0 sprint which ended on a triple by Lauren Bodine. Maine kept charging, building a 14 point lead on a layup by Koizar before taking a 22-10 lead into the second.
UMBC regrouped and cut the lead down to eight in the second. Swan put an end to the Retrievers charge, hitting back-to-back jumpers as part of a 7-2 run. Koizar's three capped the run and sent the Black Bears into the half leading by 13.
Maine came out of the break on fire, staging a 12-2 run with five points from Swan, to extend its lead out to 43-20.
The Black Bears kept the foot on the pedal in the fourth, beginning the quarter with an 18-5 run. The sprint put Maine on top by 37; its largest lead of the day. The Black Bears cruised the rest of the way, locking up their ninth league win of the year, 72-38.
Maine returns home on Monday, Feb. 8 when it hosts New Hampshire at 7 p.m. The game marks Maine's Play4Kay Pink Game in which it looks to raise $10,000 for women's cancer research and support.
To donate to the cause, please click here.
-UMaine-
