The offense wasn’t perhaps as fluid as usual, but the defense was very much in place on Sunday afternoon for the University of Maine women’s basketball team.
The Black Bears held the University of Maryland Baltimore County to 31 percent shooting, providing the foundation for a 56-42 America East victory at the RAC Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
“Not to play your best basketball and get a win on the road is good,” said coach Richard Barron, whose ballclub (14-6, 6-1 AE) registered its sixth straight win.
“It wasn’t our best game on the offensive end. We just didn’t have the rhythm,” Barron told Don Shields of the Black Bear Sports Network. “When we’re not looking at the rim, we’re not seeing the post-ups, we’re not seeing the cutters, we’re playing to run a play instead of playing to score.”
Junior forward Liz Wood, who posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. She also came up with five steals, three assists and a blocked shot.
The Black Bears shot a healthy 40 percent from the floor and hit seven 3-pointers, but were hampered by 18 turnovers, which led to 21 points on UMBC ensuing possessions. UMaine also came away with a 38-25 rebounding edge.
Sigi Koizar, who is the Bears’ leading scorer, provided 14 points and five rebounds on Sunday after being held scoreless in Thursday’s home victory against Vermont. Bella Swan scored a career-best eight points and Sophie Weckstrom added eight points.
“I thought Liz was great on the boards again, 14 [points] and 11 [rebounds],” Barron said. “Sigi came back to life a little bit there, she hit two big 3’s in the second half and we needed that, she needed that.”
UMBC (6-14, 1-6 AE) was led by 13 points and five rebounds from Capree Garner. Pandora Wilson posted nine points, while Taylor McCarley chipped in with six points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.
The Retrievers shot only 13 points (2-for-15) from the 3-point line.
UMBC appeared poised to give the Black Bears a battle after reeling off a 9-2 run in the second half. Wilson made a layup and two foul shots to end the surge, which sliced UMaine’s lead to 36-31 with 12:38 remaining.
Koizar finally helped the Bears regain the momentum when she made her second 3-pointer of the half at the 8:00 mark. She came back with two free throws, before Wood converted a conventional three-point play with 6:44 left to push UMaine’s advantage to 51-38.
UMBC would not get closer than nine points the rest of the way.
UMaine returns to action on Thursday at 7 p.m. with a key conference clash against New Hampshire at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.