Seniors key for UMaine title quest

Consistency has been hard to come by this season for the University of Maine women’s basketball team, but that doesn’t mean the Black Bears won’t have something to say about who represents America East in the NCAA Tournament.

With UMaine having passed the halfway point, let’s take a look at the prospects for coach Ann McInerney’s ballclub.

After a strong 5-1 start and the subsequent 1-4 skid during Bracey Barker’s absence with a fractured wrist, the Bears have opened their America East schedule with a 2-2 record. UMaine has lost two winnable games at Binghamton and Vermont heading into tonight’s contest against Stony Brook.

UMaine’s greatest strength is the experience and leadership of its upperclassmen.

Leading the way is Barker, who is one of the top five or six players in the conference. The Bears need to get her the ball more often, taking advantage of her versatility by moving her around to create mismatches against defenders.

Barker should touch the ball on every possession. Even if she’s closely-guarded, she is an excellent passer capable of finding open teammates.

Ashley Underwood has no fear as a shooter, but should take fewer 3-pointers and instead attack the hoop off the dribble or shoot the pull-up jumper. By doing so, she will be more versatile and effective.

Katie Whittier is a nice complement to Barker and Underwood. She excels at beating opponents down the court on the fast break and can hit the 12- to 15-foot jumper. She also is the key cog in UMaine’s rebounding equation.

For the Bears to overcome mediocrity, Lindsey Hugstad-Vaa will need to become more consistent at the offensive end. She has worked hard on her post defense, but doesn’t get the number of rebounds befitting a player with her physical attributes.

Hugstad-Vaa must be more poised shooting layups and should limit shots beyond the foul line, which would improve her efficiency. She, Whittier and Barker should also combine on the high-low play with greater frequency.

Freshman point guard Abby Greene has been steady. She would benefit by becoming more aggressive off the dribble, which would increase chances of opening up her teammates for open shots. She also is an occasional 3-point threat.

Younan is easily the most improved player on the team. She provides an emotional spark and can get the Bears into fast-break mode quickly. Younan has shown better shot selection and court awareness of late, but must keep her turnovers in check and stay focused on the defensive end.

Freshman Amanda Tewksbury hasn’t asserted herself on offense. She should shoot when open within the flow, but shouldn’t settle for perimeter shots. She is strong and can take the ball to the basket with authority.

The Bears’ Achilles’ heel is their lack of depth. Recent knee injuries to Tiffany Colon and Brittany Boser have forced McInerney to use what is essentially a seven-player rotation.

Without at least one more player in the mix, UMaine is likely to encounter problems with fatigue. Barker, Underwood and Whittier all will be logging 30-35 minutes per game during AE play with Hugstad-Vaa and Greene not far behind.

The Bears can only combat that problem by playing well early, building substantial leads and patiently executing down the stretch.

Should UMaine fall behind by a large margin, it is ill-equipped to apply full-court pressure long enough to get things turned around and still have enough legs to win.

To reduce fatigue, the Bears may have to play more zone to avoid having to continually chase players all over the court.

UMaine’s commitment to rebounding will be the difference between winning and losing in at least three or four games. That comes down to desire, which the Bears possess, and toughness, which they lack.

The Bears have the potential to keep improving, but must avoid injuries and ride their seniors in their quest to be an America East contender.