It was clear earlier this season that the University of Maine women’s basketball team was struggling on the offensive end.

Nobody knew that better than senior guard Kristen McCormick, who was having trouble re-establishing the perimeter shooting touch that made her America East’s most dangerous 3-point threat (45 percent accuracy).

Recently, both McCormick and the Black Bears have shown definite signs that they’re poised to begin playing the kind of balanced, potent offthey’re poised to begin playing the kind of balanced, potent offense that has helped make them so successful in recent years. UMaine hopes to prove it again during today’s noon conference contest against Hartford at Alfond Arena in Orono.

Hartford, which has been a solid offensive ballclub, will have to contend with a UMaine squad that has averaged 69.3 points per game in its last three outings.

Part of the difficulty for the 6-6 Bears has been its grueling nonleague schedule, which has included the likes of Georgia, Boston College (twice), and Southwest Missouri State.

Otherwise, UMaine has experienced an inability to establish the kind of offensive cohesiveness that have been evident in recent years. McCormick is convinced that trend is over.

“Our chemistry was off,” McCormick said. “When you find each other on the court, that’s when you know when your chemistry is there.”

The Delaware game was indicative of better balance as the Bears placed three players in double figures and nine in the scoring column while shooting 52 percent from the floor.

“Everybody played well, the starting five and everybody off the bench gave us a lift,” McCormick said.

McCormick’s recent offensive play backs up her sentiments. She had made 11 of 20 3-pointers (.550) heading into the Delaware game, during which she made one of six. She is averaging 11.5 points in the last four games.

“I was thinking about it too much and hesitating on my shot,” said McCormick, who has received increased defensive pressure this season on the wing. “Last year I wasn’t really scouted as much as I am this year. I’m not getting as many open shots. I’m having to create my own shot with people in my face. I think I’m back in my rhythm now.”

UMaine, which is off to a 3-1 start in America East play, is determined to regain the league title Northeastern took from it last season. Conference games provide plenty of motivatation.

“We’re definitely looking forward to dominating our conference,” McCormick said. “We didn’t win our conference tournament last year, so it’s not like we’re the top dog right now. We’ve got to go out and focus on every game against every team in our conference.”

Rizzotti coaching Hartford

Hartford comes to town under first-year coach Jennifer Rizzotti, who replaced veteran coach Allison Jones.

Rizzotti, the former All-American point guard at Connecticut, played three seasons in the now-defunct American Basketball League with the New England Blizzard, but competed last season with the WNBA champion Houston Comets.

Rizzotti, who at the time of her hiring was the youngest Division I coach in the country, helped lead UConn to victory over Maine during their 1995 NCAA Tournament first-round game. It was the Bears’ first-ever trip to the NCAAs, while the Huskies went on to win the national title with a 35-0 record.

The Hawks, who won only eight games last season, already have six victories under Rizzotti.