Answers eluding UMaine Bears play tonight vs. league-leading Hawks

Optimism and hard work can do wonders for any basketball team, but sometimes those qualities aren’t enough.

Coach Ann McInerney had hoped to have the University of Maine women rounding into shape as they headed into the second half of their America East season.

Instead, UMaine is a team searching for answers as it hits the halfway point of the conference schedule with tonight’s 7:30 contest against league-leading Hartford at Alfond Arena in Orono.

“Some things have kind of steamrolled down a bad path,” said the Bears’ first-year coach, who fears the team’s struggles may be taking a toll.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know that our leadership is strong enough to get everybody back where they need to be,” she said.

Even prior to the injuries, the Bears (6-12 overall, 2-5 AE) have lacked experience and poise at point guard (Margaret Elderton is still not 100 percent after offseason ankle and knee surgery), perimeter shooting prowess and depth across the board.

Now, they’re trying to work around Ashley Underwood’s sprained ankle and Katie Whittier’s stress fracture.

Underwood, a junior from Benton, played hard in Sunday’s loss at Boston University, but still doesn’t have the strength in the left ankle that made her UMaine’s best perimeter defender and 3-point shooter.

“Ashley has done everything she can to get back playing,” McInerney said, “[but] she doesn’t have the push off that ankle that she had before she was injured.”

Whittier, a senior from New Gloucester, hurt her left foot a week ago. She played only 14 minutes at BU before leaving the floor for good and she could miss two weeks.

The 6-foot-2 forward, who is averaging 9.0 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 65 percent from the floor, has been a key member of the Bears’ frontcourt.

As UMaine football coach Jack Cosgrove is quick to point out when injuries occur, “the next guy [in this case, gal] is in.'”

The Bears don’t have a lot of options. With Whittier out, junior post player Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa will be needed to complement Abby Schrader in the paint. Of course, versatile junior Bracey Barker of Bar Harbor also could see more time playing down low.

With Underwood hampered, freshman Brittany Bowen and redshirt freshman Ameshia Bryant have to be consistently productive and help take some pressure off the veterans.

“We’re searching and trying to find somebody to step up,” McInerney said. “[Against BU] we didn’t get enough of an effort from our role players, our bench.”

Despite the setbacks and the frustration of losing regularly, the Bears are determined to battle their way back.

“We’ve got to take it day by day, get through the injuries, and just keep pushing on and keep trying to get better every day,” Barker said.

McInerney refuses to allow the Bears to accept mediocrity.

“We have to be able to outwork teams,” she said, “not just during games but during practices, in the weight room; everything they do going about their daily existence as a student-athlete.”