ORONO – Rachel Bouchard is going to the National Invitational Tournament with a reputation.

Her 25.3 points per game and her 11.4 rebounds per game are impressive enough for the Farmingdale native to be considered as a Kodak Division I All-America candidate.

Many schools from around the country know who Rachel Bouchard is, and they go into games against the Black Bears with a stop-her-and-we’ll-win-the-game attitude.

Usually, that is a fatal mistake. While Bouchard does a play a major role in Maine’s success, she will be the first to tell you that the Black Bears are not a one-player team.

For the Black Bears to find success at the NIT, other people other than Bouchard will have to produce. That puts a lot of pressure on the likes of guards Cathy Iaconeta, Julie Bradstreet, and Carrie Goodhue.

In the past, says UM Coach Trish Roberts, those other people have “risen to the occasion.”

“Teams in the past feel that if you stop Rachel, they’ll stop the team,” Roberts said. “But in the past, other kids have risen to the occasion.” When Rachel has problems inside, other people come to the forefront – Julie Bradstreet, Iaconeta, Goodhue, (Tracey) Frennette. We do have a different attack. Rachel is an integral part of the team, but not the only part.”

Against a taller Kentucky team (Maine’s opening-round opponent), the guards could play an even bigger role.

“We’ve got people that can take the threes,” Bouchard said. “If that opens it up, we can score inside. They can’t stop us both ways.”

“We will have to produce from the outside,” said Iaconeta, Maine’s spunky 5-2 point guard. “All year long coach has said we’re not a one-man team. We’ll have to hit a lot from the perimeter and we’ll have to produce to win.”

Roberts also added that the Black Bear guards will have to play tough defense to stop the Wildcats.

“What the guards will have to do is play real good perimeter defense and make it tough to the ball inside to the big girls,” Roberts said. “Kentucky’s strength is its inside game. They’ll have to help out a lot defensively.”

In other words, it comes down to the little girls playing big roles if Maine is to make its mark.