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Maine Edges Terriers, 59-56
Feb. 23, 2005
Orono, Maine - Despite being outrebounded and hitting less than 50% from the free throw line, Maine (17-8, 13-2 AE) managed to pull out a three-point victory over the visiting Boston University Terriers (11-13, 6-9 AE) to remain unbeaten in their last ten games. Super sophomore Bracey Barker (Bar Harbor, Maine) led the Black Bear attack with 19 points and eight rebounds with senior guard Missy Traversi (Attleboro, Mass.) chipping in 13 points and junior forward Abby Schrader (Pt. Pleasant, N.J.) adding 10 points and eight rebounds. The Terriers were led by Adrienne Norris who had a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds, Larissa Parr who had 11 points and Becky Bonner who added 10 points including two three-pointers. Senior Kim Corbitt (Albany, New York) opened the scoring for the Black Bears with a tricky play. While under the basket, Corbitt inbounded the ball off a Terrier's back, took the ball and hit the layup. The Terriers answered with two from Larissa Parr before four different Black Bears helped to open up an 10-2 run. At the 9:43 mark, Maine held the advantage 16-12 with four points from Traversi and Schrader. Bonner closed the gap, 16-14, with a jumper for Boston University and then Rachel Vanderwal scored her sixth point of the half to knot the score at 16-16. Bonner hit two free throws to take the first lead of the game for the visiting Terriers, 18-16. Barker answered with two of her 12 first half points to tie the game 18-18. With five minutes to play, the Terriers extended their lead to 26-22 with a couple of three-pointers, one from Bonner and another from Norris. Maine pulled within two and then tied the game, 26-26 with consecutive baskets from Barker. With a three-pointer from Corbitt and another basket from Barker, the Black Bears took back the lead 31-26 with 2:54 to play in the first half. Bonner hit a second trey to pull within two, 31-29 before Corbitt converted a three-point play the hard way after being fouled on the way to the hoop and hitting the subsequent free throw. With 1:07 to play, Maine held the advantage 34-29. Boston University's Katie Meinhardt hit one of two from the line as did Traversi to put the score 35-30 at half.
Maine shot 60.9% from the floor (14-23) and 66.7% from the charity stripe (6-9). The Terriers shot 32.4% from the floor (11-34) and 83.3% from the free throw line (5-6). Both teams hit 33.3% from behind-the-arc with the Terriers hitting 3 of 9 and Maine connecting on 1 of 3. Barker led the Black Bears in scoring with 12 first half points and 3 rebounds followed by Traversi (9) and Corbitt (8). Norris paced the Terrier's with 13 points with Bonner adding 10. Schrader opened the second half with Maine's first two baskets, but then found their open looks not dropping. The Terriers countered Maine's cold streak to chip away at the Black Bear lead. At the 15:04 mark, Norris tied the game 39-39 with an inside basket. For the next two minutes the teams remained deadlocked until senior forward Monica Peterson (Wilmington, Del.) put Maine in the lead 41-39 with her first two points of the game. Parr tied the game, 41-41 with a mid-range jumper before four points from Barker and two from Peterson helped Maine take a six point lead 47-41. With 9:11 left, the Terriers battled back with points from Vanderwal and Norris to close the gap, 49-45. Norris then hit two free throws to pull within two points, 49-47. Barker then hit a big three-pointer with the shot clock running down to make the score 52-47 with 6:30 to play. Norris hit a jumper and Vanderwal went 1 of 2 from behind the charity stripe to put the score, 52-50. After a Black Bear shot clock violation, Norris hit two more to tie the game 52-52 with under five minutes to play. Peterson put Maine up by three, 55-52 after scoring a three point play. Maine's defensive pressure forced a Terrier turnover which Traversi converted into a 10-foot jumper. The Terriers answered to pull within three, 57-54 before Traversi hit another runner to lead by five, 59-54 with 1:03 left in the contest. Norris hit two free throws to pull Boston University within three with 38.7 seconds to go, 59-56. The Terriers began the fouling game, but Maine could not ice the game as Schrader and Traversi each missed the front end of their foul shots. With 9.7 seconds, Maine held the three point lead, 59-56. The Terriers missed two long range shots to try to send the game into overtime but sophomore guard Ashley Underwood (Augusta, Maine) grabbed the rebound to deny the Terriers. Maine finished the game 52.1% (25-58) from the floor and 46.7% (7-15) from the free throw line. The Terriers hit 20-64 (31.3%) from the floor and 80% (12-15) from the line. The Terriers outrebounded Maine 40-34. The Black Bears return to action on Saturday, Feb. 26 playing away at the University of Vermont with the tip-off at 1p.m. Maine travels to Stony Brook on March 2 for its final road game and then hosts UMBC on March 5 for its final home game before playoffs. Gametime is slated for 7:30pm with a post-game ceremony set to recognize Maine's four seniors. For more information go to www.GoBlackBears.com. |
