Tired Black Bears falter in second half Dartmouth experience too much for UM

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ORONO – In a span of 20 hours, the University of Maine women’s basketball had to make a tough transition.

The Black Bears went from playing a free-wheeling Kennesaw State team Friday night to facing a vastly more talented and disciplined Dartmouth College squad Saturday afternoon.

The Big Green’s experience prevailed as the defending Ivy League champions earned a 70-63 victory in the finale of the Dead River Co. Classic at Alfond Arena.

“These are the games you want to play. This is why it can only get better, from games like this,” said coach Ann McInerney, whose Bears (2-1) may have been fatigued and thus couldn’t make enough key plays down the stretch.

UMaine pounded the ball inside early to senior center Abby Schrader, who scored 13 of her career-high 17 points in the first half on 4-for-5 shooting.

The Big Green (3-0) changed the flow of the game by implementing man-to-man, full-court pressure early in the second half. The move generated five turnovers during a span of 11/2 minutes, helping Dartmouth turn a seven-point deficit into a 42-37 lead with 14:02 left.

“It was just knowing that we might have to try to dictate tempo in that way [the press],” said Dartmouth assistant coach Chris Leazier. He subbed for head coach Chris Wielgus, who was visiting her gravely ill mother.

“And neutralize [No.] 55,” chimed in assistant coach Courtney Banghart, referring to Schrader. “That kid carried that team in the first half.”

Dartmouth started double-teaming Schrader and held her to four points after the break. The Bears were unable to find the same kind of offensive continuity after that.

“They were doubling down low a lot more in the second half, but we weren’t doing the little things,” said Schrader, who grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out six assists.

Complementing Schrader was Katie Whittier of New Gloucester, who posted her third consecutive double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Bracey Barker of Bar Harbor contributed 16 points and eight rebounds.

“We didn’t execute the way that we wanted to execute late in the game,” Barker said. “We started off really well getting high-low, getting it inside, and in the second half we kind of drifted away from that.”

Angie Soriaga led Dartmouth with 15 points. Sydney Scott came off the bench to provide 11 points and 11 rebounds in place of center Elise Morrison, who played only 15 minutes because of foul trouble and a foot injury.

The Big Green’s man-to-man defense was effective on the perimeter. Two Ashley Underwood 3-pointers were the Bears’ only baskets from outside the paint in the entire contest.

UMaine went 2-for-15 (13 percent) from 3-point range.

Trailing 44-42 with 12:36 to play, Dartmouth opened a 12-4 spurt that gave it the lead for good. Darcy Rose hit two short jumpers 31 seconds apart, but Barker answered with a basket from underneath.

Jeannie Cullen buried a wide-open 3-pointer, then Soriaga threw in a 14-foot runner that gave the Big Red a 51-46 lead with 10:09 left.

UMaine battled, four times trimming the deficit to two points. Barker’s low-post hoop with 1:42 to play made it 61-59, but the hosts got no closer.

Fatima Kamara scored from the baseline and, after a Schrader miss from the lane, Ashley Taylor made a foul shot to make it a six-point game with 42 seconds left.

The Bears had trouble covering Dartmouth’s perimeter shooters, especially in the second half, when the Big Green shot 45 percent from the field.

“I just think we had some defensive letdowns in the second half, that we had done a better job in the first half,” McInerney said. “I credit Dartmouth, they’re a tremendous program and they have NCAA experience and were in the tournament last year.”

BIG GREEN 70, BLACK BEARS 63

Dartmouth (3-0) Maine (2-1)

Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP

Taylor 2 13 4 4 8 Whittier 4 11

Perry 4 4 0 0 8 Barker 7 18 16

Morrison 3 10 2 2 8 Schrader 5 11 7 8 17

Soriaga 5 15 3 5 16 Underwood 2 7

Kamara 3 8 2 2 9 Elderton 4 8

Cullen 1 2 3 4 6 Younan 0 0 0

Craft 0 0 0 0 0 Hugstd-Vaa 2 4

Rose 2 4 0 0 4 Bryant 0 0 0 0

Scott 3 5 5 7 11 Bowen 0 2 0

Totals 23 61 19 24 70 Totals 24 59 13 15 63

Dartmouth 30 70

Maine 32 63

3-pt. goals – Dartmouth (5-14): Taylor 0-4, Soriaga 3-7, Kamara 1-1, Cullen 1-2; Maine (2-15): Barker 0-5, Underwood 2-6, Elderton 0-2, Bowen 0-2

Attendance: 1,757