Bears show speed UM rips NWBL

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ORONO – Last season, the University of Maine women’s basketball team had to pick and choose its opportunities to run.

With increased quickness, more depth and better ballhandling, this year’s Black Bears should be much better able to play fast-break basketball effectively.

UMaine demonstrated its open-court savvy Thursday night during a game-breaking 19-2 second-half scoring spurt that carried the Bears to a 93-55 exhibition victory over the National Women’s Basketball League Elite team from the Massachusetts area.

Heady freshman point guards Missy Traversi and Kim Corbitt showed off their ballhandling and decision-making skills as UMaine ran and gunned its way past an undermanned NWBL squad that included former Bears guards Kristen McCormick and Kizzy Lopez, who was a late replacement.

Traversi was the catalyst, scoring a game-high 17 points to go with eight assists, five rebounds and four steals in 25 minutes of action.

“That’s my style, always has been, a fast-paced game,” said the effervescent floor leader. “The thing about our team is the [other] guards are running with us… and the post players are getting down there, too.”

UMaine exhibited exceptional balance. Heather Ernest of Temple tossed in 16 points, Ellen Geraghty netted 13, Julie Veilleux connected for 11 to go with six rebounds and Melissa Heon provided 10 points and five boards.

Freshman center Nicole Jay contributed six points, a game-high 11 rebounds and blocked or altered at least five shots. Tracy Guerrette of St. Agatha and Eva Moldre added nine and eight points, respectively.

“Definintely it does a lot for our confidence,” Ernest said. “Playing like we did tonight – we know that it definitely lifts us up a little bit.”

The Bears outrebounded the NWBL team by a commanding 49-34 margin. The visitors, who experienced early foul trouble and second-half fatigue, committed 25 turnovers.

UMaine rolled three minutes into the second half, turning a 49-39 lead into a 68-41 advantage during a span of less than 41/2 minutes.

Geraghty opened the run with a 3-pointer, then fed Ernest for a fast-break layup. Moldre hit from underneath, then she converted a runner from the lane off a Veilleux assist and Heon assist to make it 58-39.

Kim Martin hit a 10-footer from the baseline for NWBL, but Jay converted an offensive rebound and Heon beat everyone down the floor for back-to-back layups courtesy of passes from Traversi. Veilleux’s 19-footer and a 10-foot bank-in jumper in transition by Guerrette made it 68-41 with 12:29 remaining.

“Second half we came out with a lot of heart, a lot of inspiration,” Maine coach Sharon Versyp said. “We were able to run on them and that was our big offense tonight.

“I thought the second half Missy, Ellen and Melissa really had the energy and the inspiration.”

June Walton paced NWBL with 14 points, Liz Tucker scored 12 and McCormick finished with 10 points and five rebounds.

Another bright spot for UMaine was the play of the 6-6 Jay, who made her presence felt inside with her wide reach and her mobility.

“I thought Nicole Jay did a great job tonight; was more aggressive than I’ve ever seen her,” Versyp said. “She needs to be a defensive intimidator in there to allow people hopefully not to come inside too much.”

Versyp was relatively happy with UMaine’s man-to-man defense and the rebounding effort turned in by the guards. However, she was not pleased that NWBL had 30 free throw attempts while the Bears managed only 13, making seven.

“We need to be able to pound it inside and people get fouled,” she said.

UMaine opens the regular season one week from tonight when it takes on Kent State at the Augusta Civic Center.

Black Bears 93, NWBL USA 55

NWBL USA Elite Maine

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

Martin 3 6 2 4 9 Traversi 6 11 17

Walton 6 13 2 2 14 Moldre 3 5 2 8

McCormick 3 14 4 4 10 Ernest 8 14 16

Works 0 2 2 2 2 Veilleux 4 9 11

Tucker 3 11 6 7 12 Geraghty 6 9 13

Lopez 0 3 4 7 4 Heon 4 8 1 10

Behl 1 5 2 4 4 Guerrette 4 7 9

Jay 3 8 0 6

Corbitt 1 2 0 3

Peterson 0 2 0

Totals 16 54 22 30 55 39 75 7 13 93

NWBL USA Elite 35 55

Maine 44 93

3-pt. goals: NWBL USA Elite (1-13): Martin 1-4, McCormick 0-4, Tucker 0-3, Lopez 0-2; Maine (8-18): Traversi 3-4, Ernest 0-2, Veilleux 1-3, Geraghty 1-3, Heon 1-1, Guerrette 1-4, Corbitt 1-1

Attendance: 1,681