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CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – The offensive struggles continued Sunday for the University of Maine women’s basketball team.
Kathrin Ress scored 13 of her game-high 21 points to spark a strong second half that carried Boston College to a 63-34 victory over the Black Bears at Conte Forum.
It was the third straight loss for UMaine (5-4) since losing senior forward Bracey Barker of Bar Harbor to a broken right wrist in the Dec. 7 game at Holy Cross.
The 34 points were the fewest scored by the Bears since Texas beat Maine 72-34 on Dec. 29, 1992.
Coach Ann McInerney’s squad, playing the fourth of six consecutive road contests, battled hard but couldn’t establish any offensive continuity.
“We just need to run through our offenses, reversing the ball and doing little things,” said senior Katie Whittier of New Gloucester, who led UMaine with 12 points.
“I think we were trying to do too much and forcing things that we’re not supposed to do. We just need to be smarter,” Whittier said.
Senior Ashley Underwood of Benton wound up 3-for-13 from the floor (0-for-7 from 3-point range) but finished with six points and had four of UMaine’s six assists.
The Bears shot 26 percent (12-for-46) from the field, including a 3-for-18 effort on 3-pointers, and were outrebounded 40-27. BC scored 18 second-chance points on the strength of 12 offensive rebounds.
“We need other kids to step up and not only take shots, but make shots,” McInerney said. “You have Ashley and Katie who are playing their rear ends off, but they can’t do it all themselves.”
Ress, a versatile 6-foot-4 post player, went 8-for-12 and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Eagles of former Vermont coach Cathy Inglese. Ayla Brown tallied eight second-half points for BC, which had nine players in the scoring column and six with six points or more.
The Eagles shot 60 percent (18-for-30) in the second half.
Barker was on the bench in street clothes with her injured right wrist wrapped but not in a cast. She is reportedly scheduled to see her doctor Jan. 3 and could, in a best-case scenario, be back within three weeks.
“It’s tough without Bracey in there because she’s a floor leader and she’s one of our go-to players,” Whittier said. “When you take that away, it’s difficult. We just need other people to want to step up and not be afraid, but we’re young, too.”
UMaine opened the first half by going scoreless for eight minutes, 49 seconds. By that time, Boston College (8-3) had built a 13-0 lead. The Bears went 0-for-6 from the floor to start the contest and committed eight turnovers during that span but trailed only 21-15 at halftime.
UMaine tied it with a 6-0 run after intermission, converting turnovers on Underwood’s short runner and a low-post basket by Whittier. Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa’s hoop off a lob pass from Underwood made it 21-21 with 17:59 to play.
“Once we get over that hump, we’re OK, but the second half we can’t just let it go,” Whittier said.
After a timeout, the Eagles responded with a decisive 15-3 scoring surge.
Elisabeth Egnell made a baseline layup, then Brown answered a foul shot by UM’s Kris Younan with a tip-in basket and a 17-foot jumper 36 seconds apart. Whittier sank two free throws, but Egnell countered with a 3-pointer.
Ress then converted a three-point play and made a layup off a steal by Falmouth’s Sarah Marshall before an Egnell foul shot gave Boston College a 36-24 advantage with 13:25 remaining.
“They have a very good inside-outside attack,” McInerney said. “They spread the ball around.
“You can’t not double- and triple-team a kid like Ress, and she found the open shooters and they hit some shots,” McInerney added.
Abby Greene’s 3-pointer ended a five-minute field-goal drought for UMaine and Whittier added two foul shots as the Bears made their last gasp at 36-29 with 12:33 to play.
However, the Eagles ended the game with a 27-5 run and won going away.
EAGLES 63, BLACK BEARS 34
Maine (5-4) Boston College (8-3)
Player G AG F AF TP Player G AG AF TP
Whittier 4 10 4 4 12 Egnell 2 6 6
Hgstd-Vaa 1 3 2 2 4 Kentish 1 4 2
Underwood 3 13 0 0 6 Ress 8 12 21
Greene 1 5 0 0 3 Marshall 3 6
Tewksbury 0 4 0 0 0 Dorsey 1 2 3
Younan 1 4 1 2 4 Brown 4 10 8
Boser 0 1 0 0 0 Jones 1 2 3
Colon 1 2 0 0 3 Lokitis 3 6 7
Vaitkute 1 2 0 0 2 Rusin 3 8 7
Totals 12 46 7 8 34 Totals 26 58 63
Maine 15 19 34
Boston College 21 42 63
3-pt. goals – Maine (3-18): Colon 1-1, Younan 1-3, Greene 1-4, Whittier 0-1, Bowen 0-2, Underwood 0-7; Boston College (5-10): Dorsey 1-1, Rusin 1-1, Jones 1-2, Egnell 1-3, Lokitis 1-3
Attendance: 1,277
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