Schedule to test UMaine> Palombo’s Bears to face top teams

The University of Maine women’s basketball team recently completed what is arguably the most successful season in the program’s history.

Coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie’s Black Bears went 24-7 and won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time. And while UMaine failed to win the America East title, several important factors enabled the Bears to earn what many considered a surprising No. 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

UMaine won 18 of its last 20 games heading into the NCAAs and didn’t have any “bad” losses to teams ranked below the top 100 in the Rating Percentage Index (RPI).

The Bears also played a schedule that included a handful of top-quality opponents from major conferences, and they benefited from the overall success of America East, which ranks 13th among the nation’s 30 Division I leagues.

Next season appears to have the potential to be even better.

UMaine returns a veteran lineup and adds a crop of talented freshmen that could make it the deepest, most formidable Black Bear team ever. A challenging schedule could give UMaine a legitimate chance to break into the Top 25.

For starters, UMaine is expected to be among 16 teams selected to compete in the prestigious Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament. The field won’t be announced until the Final Four begins on March 26.

If included, the Bears could play at least one game against a highly regarded opponent and have the potential to play other top teams. That’s only the beginning.

Southeastern Conference power Georgia, which is ranked No. 12 and playing in the “Sweet 16,” and 1999 NCAA tourney entry Stephen F. Austin of Nacogdoches, Texas, are two of the three teams headed for Orono to play in the annual Dead River Company Classic.

In December, the Bears return to the University of Florida tournament, joining NCAA second-round entry Boston College and perennial Sun Belt Conference power Western Kentucky in the field.

“Without question, it will be the most difficult schedule we’ve entertained so far,” Palombo said.

“The schedule’s just loaded, but it’s definitely what we want,” she said. “The idea is to build up a serious RPI and whatnot.”

In addition to its 18-game America East slate, UMaine will entertain Big Ten member Northwestern and is trying to set up a contest against St. John’s at the Augusta Civic Center. The Bears also play at Rhode Island.

Palombo said assistant coach Jody Benner, who coordinates the Bears’ recruiting, is the driving force behind the impressive schedule.

“A lot of credit goes to Jody Benner,” Palombo said. “He’s established a great rapport with a lot of people and you have to do that to get some teams to come to Maine or to schedule us. Jody has a lot of interpersonal skills. He has really been on top of it.”

Having high-caliber teams on the schedule will boost UMaine’s RPI next season, but victories in those games may give the Bears a chance to further build their credibility on the national scene.

Carl Howell, who helped St. Joseph’s College of Standish earn an at-large bid to the NAIA Division II Men’s National Tournament, has been named a first-team All-American.

Howell, a 6-foot-9 senior from Exeter, N.H., averaged 26.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocked shots for coach Rick Simonds’ 26-3 Monks.

The versatile forward, the Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year, was among national leaders in field goal percentage (.577) and 3-point field goal percentage (.426). Howell also maintained a grade point average above 3.0.

The basketball teams at Husson College of Bangor are celebrating their seasons by honoring a pair of NAIA All-Americans.

Kelly Dow of Calais earned second-team honors after a superb season during which she was named the Maine Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Dow, a 6-2 forward, averaged 17.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks, leading coach Kissy Walker’s 14-14 Braves to the MAC title and a berth in the NAIA national tournament.

The junior, who missed seven games during the first semester because of a thumb injury, is only the second Husson female player to receive All-America recognition.

On the men’s side, Chris Funk of Caribou was named to the NAIA All-America third team. The 6-5 senior forward contributed 15.9 points and 7.0 rebounds for coach Warren Caruso’s 22-8 Braves, who won the MAC championship and advanced to the national tourney.