Bears victors by stopping Huskies’ Artis

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ORONO – Northeastern’s Katasha Artis has been virtually unstoppable on the basketball court for the last two seasons.

That is, until Thursday night.

The University of Maine clamped down on the North Atlantic Conference’s premier player, holding the senior forward to 10 points while papremier player, holding the senior forward to 10 points while paving the way to a 79-65 NAC victory over the Huskies at Alfond Arena.

The victory puts the Black Bears into first place in the NAC at 8-2. Northeastern, also 8-2, would relinquish its share of the league lead because both losses came against Maine.

The Bears improved to 15-5 overall with their fourth straight win, which was witnessed by 3,352 fans. The Huskies are now 13-7.

Maine is now in the NAC driver’s seat, but Boston University is waiting in the wings Saturday.

“(The confidence) is probably soaring right now, but it probably will stop tomorrow when we go to practice,” said Blodgett, who led the Bears with 26 points, including six big free throws late in the game.

“It’s just another win,” she added. “It was against the No. 1 team, but I don’t think they’re No. 1 any longer. I don’t mean to sound cocky. We have a lot of games left.”

Artis, an athletic 6-footer, found herself surrounded throughout as Maine’s fluid 1-2-2 zone forced her into a 4-for-20 shooting night. Often it was Maine junior Steph Guidi who was in Artis’s face.

NU teammates Nora Mitchell and Eddwena Wright scored 22 and 20 points, respectively, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Maine’s balance.

Artis had scored a career-high 32 points in Maine’s 75-71 win in Boston on Jan. 28.

“I think we focused on (Artis),” Guidi said. “I think this time we kind of took her out of her game, got her a little frazzled.”

“Obviously, Katasha’s output was not what it was in the first game,” said NU coach Joy Malchodi. “I’m not blaming that on her (bad left) ankle at all. I think Maine was able to take her out of her game and she took herself out of her game.”

Even though Artis scored only two points in the second half, Mitchell and Wright kept NU in it.

Maine was plagued by a rash of turnovers early, just as the Huskies had been in the first half.

Northeastern threatened with 12:11 left and Maine ahead 50-37. A Mitchell 3-pointer ignited a 12-3 run that sliced Maine’s lead to 53-49 with 10:12 to play.

Mitchell also had a hoop from underneath, another 3-pointer, and a foul shot during the spurt, but Maine got back on track.

Blodgett made two foul shots at the 8:37 mark, then Stacey Porrini hit an 8-foot hook from the baseline and Guidi added two free throws to make it 59-49 with 7:18 left.

“The post players weren’t touching the ball enough, and I thought that we needed to work it more,” Bears coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie said. “I was very pleased at how we got the momentum back. I think our defense got us back into it.”

Mitchell, who was 5-for-7 from behind the 3-point line, and Wright took turns sparking the Huskies, but Maine found the answer in Porrini.

The 6-4 center scored six straight Maine points to keep the hosts on top 65-58. A driving layup by Wright cut the lead to five, but Blodgett sandwiched an 8-foot runner and two foul shots around a Felicia Hobson free throw.

Trisha Ripton iced it, sinking a 3-pointer that made it 72-61 with 2:14 to play.

Fatigue may have affected the Huskies, who went with only six players most of the game. The Bears utilized 10 players in the first half alone.

Blodgett paced Maine with 26 points and seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Porrini contributed 17 points and seven blocks.

Ripton provided 14 points and three steals, and Guidi 10 points. Seana Dionne, Ripton, and Blodgett were defensive stalwarts.

Maine established itself defensively from the outset. The Bears went after the Huskies full-court with a 2-2-1 press and extended their 1-2-2 zone at the other end to force Northeastern outside.

The Huskies got the ball inside to Wright several times, but Maine held Artis to four points through almost 18 minutes before she scored a couple of hoops in the last 2:17 of the half.

Northeastern committed 12 turnovers in the half and Maine held a 22-14 rebounding edge. The Bears led 41-29 at halftime behind 15 points from Blodgett.

Black Bears 79, Huskies 65

Northeastern women Maine

Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP

Mitchell 7 16 3 4 22 Grealy 1 4 2 2 4

Artis 4 20 2 4 10 Blodgett 9 18 6 7 26

Petreccia 1 1 0 0 2 Gallant 2 4 0 0 4

Schultz 0 0 0 0 0 Carver 1 5 0 0 2

Robinson 1 2 2 2 4 Rustad 0 0 0 0 0

Hobson 2 5 3 4 7 Porrini 6 7 5 5 17

Wright 8 15 4 5 20 Dionne 0 1 0 0 0

Ripton 5 11 1 3 14

Sullivan 1 1 0 0 2

Guidi 4 8 2 2 10

Totals 23 59 14 19 65 Totals 29 59 16 19 79

Northeastern 29 65

Maine 41 79

3-pt. goals: Northeastern (5-8): Mitchell 5-7, Artis 0-1; Maine (5-13): Blodgett 2-7, Ripton 3-6