UMaine’s season signals better days> Coach wants more games vs. top teams

STORRS, Conn. – Only the beginning. That is how University of Maine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie is reflecting upon the Black Bears’ superb season, which ended Thursday night with a 105-75 loss to top-ranked Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Granted, Maine accomplished a major program goal by winning the North Atlantic Conference championship and earning a berth in the NCAAs, but Palombo can’t help but believe there are better things ahead for the Black Bears.

“This was a start for us. I guess that’s the best way to look at it,” Palombo said while preparing to return to Maine here Friday morning. After reviewing the tape of UConn’s convincing victory, Palombo knows she and the Bears have a long way to go.

“That’s going to be a great tool to learn with,” Palombo said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a team like Connecticut every year. They’re a special team, I think they have a real good shot at winning the title this year.”

Maine closed the season with a 24-6 record, matching the school record for victories set by the 1986-87 squad.

One might assume Maine and UConn would not meet again for a long time, but Palombo wants a quick rematch.

“We need to try to get them on the schedule, make some trips to Storrs even if they won’t return to Maine,” Palombo said. “We need to continue to schedule great teams, because the more you knock on the door, the more the likelihood of the door being knocked down.”

Palombo will discuss that very issue in a couple of weeks, as she will be serving with UConn coach Geno Auriemma on the Kodak All-America selection committee.

The Bears have set up another testy non-league schedule for next season, including a season-opener at highly regarded Alabama, a trip to the University of Washington, and Dead River Co. Tipoff Classic games against Brigham Young and Villanova.

Maine’s goals next year will include winning at least one NCAA Tournament game, but Palombo isn’t willing to settle for just that.

“We need to continue to work hard and recruit top student-athletes,” she said. “We want to see if we can win a couple of games and push through the NCAA Tournament.”

While Palombo preferred to reflect upon this season rather than look too far ahead, she admitted the Bears will lose three valuable student-athletes in seniors Seana Dionne, Rita Sullivan and Erin Grealy.

“Those seniors are special people and I can’t say enough about them and what they’ve done for the program,” Palombo said. “It’s not a matter of points and rebounds, it’s a matter of leadership and intensity and those type of things.”

Palombo’s recruiting class for next season already includes versatile forward Klara Danes of Toronto and Mainers Kelly Bowman of Nokomis High in Newport and Andrea Clark of Madison.

“They’re bigger and athletic,” Palombo said of the recruiting class. “We’re still looking at some people, but we’ve got some nice players with athleticism.”

NCAA NOTES: Representatives of the North Atlantic Conference are now 0-4 in NCAA Tournament action, but none had ever been matched up against a No. 1 seed prior to Thursday’s Maine-UConn contest. “We very much wanted to win, not only for the University of Maine, but for the conference,” Palombo said. “With who we drew, the probability became much smaller for us to win in the first round.”