Black Bears sink free throws for win over Hofstra Maine gains eighth league victory

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HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The University of Maine turned a strong performance at the free-throw line into a 64-58 women’s basketball victory over Hofstra Friday night, the Black Bears’ fifth straight win.

“We got to the line 33 times and made 26 of them,” said Bears coach Sharon Versyp. “They only had 17 [attempts].”

Maine, 11-12 overall and 8-6 in America East play, only scored on free throws over the final 5:01 of the game, but the Bears’ 13-of-16 effort was enough to hold off a late charge by the Pride.

“Hofstra gave everything they had,” said Versyp, “and we were out of our flow.”

The Pride (8-15, 5-10) trimmed Maine’s 54-41 lead with 4:19 remaining down to 56-52 with 1:05 to go, but could get no closer.

Hofstra hit a free throw, a layup, and a 3-pointer in the late going, and tried to get the ball back by fouling the Bears and hoping for missed free throws, but the Black Bears foiled the plan.

In the final minute, Ellen Geraghty hit four of six free throws, and Anna James and Tracy Guerrette were each 2-for-2.

“The girls were all happy after the game, but they know it was an ugly win,” said Versyp, who also noted, “On the road, we’ll take any win possible.”

Maine takes on Drexel at 1 p.m. Saturday in Philadelphia.

Versyp pointed to forward Kizzy Lopez, who led the Bears with 18 points, including 10 for 10 from the line, as one of the keys to their seventh win in eight games.

Guerrette and Julie Veilleux each added 11 points for UMaine, and Guerrette also had five assists.

Heather Ernest just missed another double-double as she added nine points and 10 rebounds. Anna James added another eight rebounds.

Kimberley Coke paced the Pride with 19 points and six steals and Jen Brickey posted 18 points.

The teams battled back and forth over the first 10 minutes of the first half, with Hofstra holding an 11-10 lead.

It was the last time the Pride would hold the lead as Lopez, with an assist from Geraghty, hit a layup to put the Bears up for good.

Maine built the lead to 10 points in the half with 58 seconds remaining in the half until two Brickey free throws and a layup by Coke cut Maine’s margin to 29-23 at intermission.

Hofstra kept chipping away at the start of the second half with foru quick points, but an 11-3 run by the Bears pushed the lead back to 10 with 12:44 to go.

The Pride didn’t give up, though, and kept coming at the Bears.

“They started to hit 3-pointers, and doing other things,” said Versyp.

“They’re really small and quick and hard to defend,” she added.

Maine’s height advantage started to pay off as the Bears outrebounded Hofstra 23-15 in the second half.

Versyp was less impressed by her team’s shooting efforts, with the Bears only shooting 33 percent from the floor for the game.

“But we held them to 36 percent,” Versyp said.

Maine turned the ball over 19 times, but the Bear defense forced Hofstra into 20 turnovers.

Black Bears 64, Pride 58

Maine (11-12) Hofstra (8-15)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG F AF TP

Ernest 4 12 1 2 9 Coke 8 14 3 19

Lopez 4 10 10 10 18 Pela 1 1 0 2

James 0 7 3 5 3 Godsey 0 2 0 0

Heon 2 5 1 2 5 Brickey 5 19 5 18

Guerrette 3 9 4 4 11 Hall-Gregory 0 0

Moldre 0 0 0 0 0 Claxton 2 6 2 6

Veilleux 5 8 0 0 11 Dilworth 3 6

Geraghty 0 3 7 10 7 Olszewski 1 3

Harris 1 2 2 4

Totals 18 54 26 33 64 21 58 12 17 58

Maine 29 64

Hofstra 23 58

3-pt. goals: Maine (2-7): Veilleux 1-1, Guerrette 1-4, Geraghty 0-2; Hofstra (4-14): Brickey 3-8, Olszewski 1-4, Hall-Gregory 0-1, Claxton 0-1

Attendance: 343

Women’s basketball

UM-Farmington 75, UMFK 45

At Fort Kent, Jocelyn Sawyer netted 18 points to lead the University of Maine-Farmington over the University of Maine-Fort Kent.

Sarah Woodcock, Rebecca Roak, and Julie Normand scored 14 points apiece for the 10-12 Beavers.

Megan Foreman led 2-17 Fort Kent with 13 points.

Colby 80, Trinity 66

At Hartford, Conn., Sarah Walsh netted 18 points to lead Colby past Trinity.

Jen Hallee followed with 17 points. Bianca Belcher and Mandy Cochrane contributed 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Bridget Dullen led Trinity with 15 points. Kate McCloskey and Jackie Siscone netted 12 points apiece, and McKenzie Corby and Angela Jandioli scored 11 points each.

Colby (18-5) 80

Belcher 3-7-13, Lawson 3-1-7, Chuprevich 1-0-2, Cochrane 5-1-11, Ashe, Condon 3-1-8, Hallee 6-3-17, Parisella 0-2-2, Bourque, Christina O’Donnell 1-0-2, Walsh 7-4-18

Trinity (7-14) 66

Siscone 4-0-12, Corby 5-1-11, Dullen 5-4-15, Bontempo, Herold 1-2-5, Dahlen, Iandioli 5-1-11, McCloskey 6-0-12

3-pt. goals: Condon, Hallee 2; Siscone 4, Dullen, Herold

Halftime: Colby 36-30

Men’s basketball

UMFK 72, UM-Farmington 61

At Fort Kent, Morris Young carried the University of Maine-Fort Kent with 23 points.

Shaun Tomblin followed up with 15 points, and Tomas Tovailsa and Jason Bray contributed 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Tom Nadeau led the University of Maine-Farmington with 18 points. Mike Fullerton added 12 points.

UM-Farmington (7-15) 61

Orcutt, Facey, Dufort, Nadeau 6-1-18, Robinson, Thomson 3-1-8, Haynie 3-0-8, Benge, Wilcox 3-0-7, Kennie 1-0-2, Mallery 2-0-4, Deds 1-0-2, Fullerton 5-2-12

UM-Fort Kent (14-7) 72

Doudier, Farrar 1-2-4, Calvette 1-4-6, Young 8-3-23, Tolvailsa 2-6-12, Bente 1-0-2, Herbert, Clark, Tomblin 4-5-15, Bray 4-2-10

3-pt. goals: Nadeau 5, Thomson, Haynie 2, Wilcox; Young 4, Tolvailsa 2, Tomblin 2

Halftime: tied at 35

Colby 76, Trinity 49

At Waterville, Sam Clark recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds to place Colby past Trinity.

Damien Strahorn returned after a four-game absence to score 20 points, and Zeb Davis netted 12 points for the White Mules.

Julian Bah led Trinity with 14 points.

Trinity (16-5) 49

Jones, Brogan, O’Connell, LaBella 2-0-6, Uszenski 2-0-4, Keohane 1-4-6, Smyth, Wallach 2-0-4, Days 1-0-2, Greene, Bah 6-2-14, Dion 2-1-5, Tabb 1-0-3, Leuffen 1-1-3, Hein 1-0-2

Colby (16-7) 76

Moro 1-2-4, Forsyth 1-0-2, Ofiesh 2-0-5, Loukes 0-2-2, Allen, Strahorn 8-0-20, Davis 3-5-12, Civiello 2-3-9, Clark 7-6-20, MacDonald 0-2-2, Gutierrez, Flood

3-pt. goals: LaBella 2, Tabb; O’Fiesh, Strahorn 4, Davis, Civiello 2

Halftime: Colby 37-22