BANGOR, Maine — Defensive intensity and pressure were the early focus for the University of Maine women’s basketball team in Monday night’s exhibition game against the University of New Brunswick.
The Black Bears went after the Varsity Reds full court from the outset and forced numerous turnovers that helped pave the way to an 80-34 exhibition victory at the Cross Insurance Center.
It was the final tuneup for coach Richard Barron’s team, which opens the season Friday night at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.
The hosts forced many of the Varsity Reds’ 31 turnovers and scored 27 points after those miscues. Even so, Barron was metered in his evaluation of the effectiveness of the press.
“I don’t think we forced more turnovers (with the press) than we did in the half-court (player to player and 2-3 matchup zone),” Barron said. “I don’t know that we created more easy scoring opportunities off turnovers.
“It was obviously something we wanted to work on and give it a look.”
The Black Bears demonstrated cohesiveness at both ends and used 14 of their 15 players, 12 of whom scored.
Junior Liz Wood spearheaded the offense with a game-high 15 points and also provided four rebounds, five steals and three assists. Sophomore guard Sigi Koizar contributed 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a blocked shot.
Sophomore Sheraton Jones chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds and Sophie Weckstrom added eight points for UMaine, which shot 49 percent from the floor (33-for-68) and outrebounded the Varsity Reds 38-31.
Junior transfer Bella Swan added six points, five rebounds and three assists.
“I think I’m just still trying to get into the groove of things, but the coaches tell me all the time, I knew more than I think I do,” said Swan, a 5-11 forward.
“I feel pretty comfortable with it so far,” she said of the transition from Salt Lake Community College.
The Black Bears built a commanding 42-18 halftime advantage, combining aggressive defense with an effective transition offense.
UMaine scored 17 points after turnovers and was able to get the ball inside effectively, both off the dribble and via the pass, facilitating 52 percent shooting (17-for-33).
The Varsity Reds shot 7-for-19 from the floor in the half, attempting 14 fewer shots than the Bears.
Wood connected for 13 points in the half, while Koizar’s dribble-penetration led to nine points and Weckstrom hit two 3-pointers on her way to eight points.
UMaine led 23-13 when it put together an 11-2 spurt to extend its lead. Wood got it rolling, scoring on an up-and-under move and then cashing in on her own steal.
Koizar followed with two free throws, before Grace Wade countered for the Reds with a scoop shot from the lane. The Bears, however, got back on the attack as Weckstrom drained a 3-pointer and then made a steal that led to Wood’s low-post hoop off a Lauren Bodine pass that made it 34-14 with 4:50 left in the half.
The highlight of the game for Barron came as time was running out. UMaine ran a play designed to get a 3-point look for Bodine on which Koizar dribbled down the baseline and fired the ball back out to the opposite wing.
He was thrilled with the play because of the players’ ability to execute on the fly.
“That was my favorite moment,” Barron said. “It shows how far we’ve come to date, that we can do that without having to call a timeout.”
UMaine called off the press in the second half and remained productive during the last 10 minutes with most of its younger players on the floor. That group included Swan, Jones and freshmen Chris Gerostergiou, Kirsten Johnson and Parise Rossignol of Van Buren.
They were able to continue to stretch the lead.
“We were going to try to balance it out, but with the score as it was we felt like we’d give them more extended minutes and they’d play together and I thought they handled that well,” Barron said.