UMaine women cruise Bears get 12th win

loading...

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The University of Maine women’s basketball team didn’t allow Wednesday night’s win over Vermont to go to its head.

The Black Bears avoided a potential letdown Saturday afternoon, storming out to an early lead on their way to a convincing 66-41 America East victory over Stony Brook at the SBU Sports Complex.

UMaine secured its eighth consecutive win, pushing its record to 12-4 while improving to 5-0 in league play. The eight straight victories are the most since the Bears won 10 in a row under Joanne Palombo-McCallie during 1998-99.

Coach Sharon Versyp’s Bears, who also posted the program’s first win in three tries at Stony Brook, will try to keep the streak going Wednesday night at Boston University.

Heather Ernest of Temple led UMaine with 13 points and nine rebounds, becoming the 12th women’s player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points.

Melissa Heon scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds and handed out four assists, while Nicole Jay and Missy Traversi added nine points each. Monica Peterson provided six points and six rebounds.

The Bears turned in another outstanding defensive performance, limiting the Seawolves (4-13, 2-4 AE) to 27 percent shooting, including a 4-for-17 effort from 3-point range. UMaine outrebounded former Black Bear coach Trish Roberts’ team 47-35, including a 28-14 advantage in the second half.

UMaine also shot 48 percent from the field, outscoring the hosts 34-8 in the paint.

Sherry Jordan paced Stony Brook with 12 points and eight rebounds, while Stephanie Barlett added 10 points.

The Bears, who have been prone to slow starts this season, came out firing against the Seawolves. UMaine hit seven of its first nine shots, with Ernest and Heon connecting for five points each, to fuel a 16-2 scoring run during the first 61/2 minutes.

Stony Brook struggled during that same stretch, making only one of nine field-goal attempts and committing five turnovers.

UMaine did have a few difficulties, committing 21 turnovers, but didn’t allow their miscues to diminish their defensive intensity and offensive production.

BLACK BEARS 66, SEAWOLVES 41

Maine (12-4) Stony Brook (4-13)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Ernest 5 10 3 4 13 DeGiorgio 2 13 2 2 6

Veilleux 2 6 0 0 4 Jordan 5 17 12

Jay 4 5 1 1 9 Bogetic 1 5 0 2

Heon 4 9 0 0 10 Barlett 4 9 0 10

Corbitt 1 3 3 6 5 McManus 1 2 2

Traversi 4 7 0 0 9 Booker 0 0 0

Hickman 0 0 0 0 0 LoParrino 0 0

Geraghty 0 3 0 2 0 Boylan 2 3 4

Gay 1 1 0 0 2 Ingram 1 7 3 5

Quackenbsh 1 1 0 0 2

Peterson 3 8 0 0 6

Schrader 2 4 2 2 6

Totals 27 57 9 15 66 Totals 16 60 10 41

Maine 34 66

Stony Brook 18 41

3-pt. goals ? Maine (3-11): Ernest 0-1, Heon 2-6, Traversi 1-3, Geraghty 0-1; Stony Brook (4-17): Jordan 2-8, Barlett 2-6, LoParrino 0-2, Boylan 0-1