UMaine women finding ways to win close games Husson women’s hoop team showing potential

There was nothing easy about the University of Maine women’s basketball team’s swing through the Midwest last weekend.

First, the Black Bears converted four free throws in the final 16 seconds Friday night to eke out a 76-73 victory over previously unbeaten Wisconsin-Green Bay, which had won 16 straight at home.

Then, UMaine let a six-point lead slip away in regulation Sunday and trailed by three in overtime only to come back and nip Drake 63-62 in the closing seconds.

No sooner had coach Sharon Versyp’s Bears improved to 4-2 than they were challenged by Mother Nature. The team spent Sunday night in Detroit as the weather forced cancellation of their flight to Maine.

After a flight into Manchester, N.H., and a bus ride from there, UMaine finally arrived in Orono around 3:30 Monday afternoon.

Rather than let the games slip away, the Bears found ways to win.

“I’m just so proud of these kids,” Versyp told WZON radio. “To go on the road and be 4-2 right now, we never dreamed of it with this schedule.”

They shot a combined 86 percent from the foul line, with senior guard Melissa Heon hitting two with five seconds left to clinch Friday’s win, then making two with 2.5 seconds remaining in overtime to give UMaine the margin of victory against Drake.

Junior guard Kim Corbitt also went 7-for-7 from the line inside the four-minute mark of regulation in the two contests.

The Bears also reversed their fortunes in the rebounding action. Despite not having outrebounded any of their first four opponents, the Bears had a margin of plus-12.5 against UWGB and Drake.

Heon led the UMaine offense on the trip, averaging 15 points per game. She also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

Senior forward Heather Ernest of Temple, who had her streak of double-digit scoring performances halted at 35 Friday night (5 points vs. UWGB), bounced back with a 21-point, 15-rebound effort Sunday.

Ernest now has 1,417 career points and has moved into sixth place on UMaine’s all-time scoring list. Next on the radar is Emily Ellis, who scored 1,696 points from 1981-85.

UMaine goes back on the road this week for a single game Friday at Indiana. After a break for semester exams, the Bears return home to play Rider on Dec. 21 and Southern Methodist on Dec. 28.

Husson women show potential

Husson College has a young women’s basketball team this season, but coach Kissy Walker’s Braves (3-2) already are beginning to show tremendous potential.

Despite having only two upperclassmen, seniors Megan Hughes of Dexter and Jenn Comeau of Lincoln, on the roster, Husson is starting to put things together on the court.

The most recent evidence was last weekend’s Paul Bunyan Tournament, which the host Braves won with victories over UMaine-Machias and UMaine-Presque Isle.

Husson showed off tremendous intensity behind a deep and talented corps of guards. The catalysts included freshman Crystal Martin of Calais, Holly Gracie of Frankfort, Sarah Davis of Skowhegan, Shauna Mullenix of Epping, N.H., and Comeau.

They bring tremendous defensive energy to the court and also boast considerable offensive attributes.

Fans also got a good look at freshman center Annie McIntosh of New Gloucester, who was named the tourney MVP after averaging 10 points, six rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and 1.5 steals in 26 minutes per game.

She is joined in the frontcourt by Hughes, Mullenix, Jodie Merchant of Hancock, Carmen Ballard of Skowhegan and Stephanie McIntyre of Hope. Husson has considerable balance and depth.

“We go 12 deep and everyone on our team can score,” Hughes said. “Every time we play, we get used to playing with each other more. By the end of the season, we should be doing pretty well.”

Walker, who returned to the Husson bench after a two-year hiatus, appears to have her team progressing quickly. The Braves face a big test tonight when they open their inaugural Maine Athletic Conference season with a 7:30 game at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine.