Defense and rebounding have always been the primary concerns of University of Maine women’s basketball coach Joanne Palombo-McCallie.

And while the Black Bears continue to work on improving those important areas, they’re dealing with a marked reduction in offensive production. The one aspect the Bears have always been able to count on has been lacking.

UMaine, which led America East last season in scoring (73.2 points per game) and field-goal percentage (.488), finds itself struggling to put points on the scoreboard. The team’s 59.2 average ranks ninth among 10 conference teams.

Granted, UMaine played some high-caliber opponents in Georgia, Boston College and Southwest Missouri State, but the Bears managed only 98 points in two conference games last week, shooting 34 percent from the field.

Team members don’t appear overly concerned about the early season struggles.

“Our defense is doing a good job, [but] we’re having trouble finding the basket right now,” said senior co-captain Amy Vachon.

“We’ll come out of it, I’m positive of it,” she added. “We just have to take it day by day and put some extra time in shooting and we’ll be fine.”

Part of UMaine’s early offensive woes also might be attributed to fact their recent opponents have played a deliberate offensive style. That not only takes time off the clock, it tends to slow down the pace of the game for both clubs.

Since the Bears haven’t rebounded consistently enough to generate fast-break chances, they also have been more methodical on the offensive end of the court.

“I think that’s going to come,” said junior Kizzy Lopez said of the offense. “People just have to realize that and not push it and force it, just work with it.”

Senior center Jamie Cassidy leads UMaine with 16.8 points per game, which is second in America East behind Vermont’s Karalyn Church (20.6), while Vachon has averaged 12.7 points.

Bangor’s Niles excels at Gordon

Heidi Niles of Bangor played a key role during the soccer season at Gordon College in Wenham, Mass.

Niles, a freshman midfielder, scored four goals and finished with 10 points for the Fighting Scots. The former Bangor Christian standout helped Gordon post a 9-7-2 record under first-year coach Rick Burns.