VESTAL, New York — It was a day for which University of Maine women’s basketball fans had been waiting for 11 agonizing years.
And while it did not come easily, Black Bear Nation breathed a collective sigh of relief on Saturday afternoon.
Mikaela Gustafsson connected for seven of her career-high 17 points to spark a game-changing, second-half run as the top-seeded Black Bears ground out a 78-71 America East quarterfinal victory over No. 8 host Binghamton.
Coach Richard Barron’s team (23-7) survived a determined effort by the Bearcats to register UMaine’s first quarterfinal win since 2004. The program had lost nine of its previous 10 postseason openers dating back to 2005, posting only a first-round (preliminary) win in 2009.
“We didn’t play our best game, but I think Binghamton had a lot to do with that,” Barron said.
“We were able to keep making enough of a run to keep them from getting the lead,” he added, “but we never gave the lead up and that ended up being crucial.”
UMaine advances to Sunday’s 2 p.m. semifinal in Vestal against No. 5 Hartford (15-16), which knocked off No. 4 New Hampshire 58-42 on Saturday.
Binghamton (4-26), which ended the season on a 14-game losing streak, found some holes in the Black Bears’ defense as UMaine allowed its most points in a conference game this season.
However, UMaine had too many offensive weapons.
Junior all-conference, first-team pick Liz Wood scored 13 of her team-leading 19 points in the second half and finished with 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals and a blocked shot. Gustafsson, a junior forward, went 7-for-7 from the foul line and snared seven rebounds.
Junior transfer Bella Swan also had her best game as a Black Bear, posting a career-high 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, while junior Sigi Koizar, another first-teamer, finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
“They’re good in every position and they’re so hard to scout, especially when they run their ‘five out’ offense and because all their players can shoot,” said Binghamton coach Linda Cimino.
UMaine shot 48 percent from the field and outrebounded Binghamton 38-26, logging 22 second-chance points and outscoring the hosts 36-16 in the paint.
The Bearcats received 19 points, including six 3-pointers, from AE Rookie of the Year Jasmine Sina, while Imani Watkins contributed 17 points and six assists. Sherae Swinson and Kim Albrecht chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Binghamton went 10-for-19 from the 3-point line (53 percent) and connected at 47 percent overall (23-for-49).
“A lot of credit to Binghamton,” Barron said. “They played a terrific game and they shot the ball lights out.”
Gustafsson and Wood were the catalysts in a key 14-3 surge that turned a two-point game into a 63-50 advantage during a span of only three minutes.
Gustafsson got it started with two foul shots, then turned in a conventional three-point play off a drive to the hoop. Wood followed with a rebound basket, before Sina ended the skein with a 3-pointer.
However, two Gustafsson foul shots, Sophie Weckstrom’s layup off a Wood steal and pass, and Wood’s 3-pointer put UMaine in front by 13 with 9:29 to play.
“Mikaela did a great job inside, she was a tough matchup for them, and we were able to exploit that, especially in the second half,” Barron said.
UMaine, which at times had trouble negotiating Binghamton’s full-court pressure and committed 14 turnovers, switched from its 2-3 matchup zone into player to player in the second half. The Bearcats still shot 52 percent, but went 3-for-7 from the arc.
“We locked down and did a lot better on the ball screens, which they were getting a lot of their 3’s and their points off of,” Wood said. “I think once we started hedging those, we did a better job.”
Binghamton clawed back within five at the 2:02 mark, but Courtney Anderson made four free throws and Weckstrom sank two down the stretch to keep the Bears on top.
The Bearcats built some momentum going into halftime behind a 16-5 run that cut UMaine’s lead to 34-32.
Binghamton went 7-for-12 from the 3-point arc, paced by 4 of 7 by Sina.
“It was a frustrated and intense locker room,” Barron admitted, “but it wasn’t rocket science about what we needed to do. Our game plan going into this one was to pound it inside and we weren’t doing it.”
While UMaine made only 1 of 11 3-pointers in the half and committed nine turnovers, which led to 13 points for the Bearcats.
UMaine manufactured a 29-13 lead with a 12-3 surge spearheaded by Swan, who scored six points in a span of 1:21 to put UMaine on top 29-16 with 5:50 to play.
Binghamton as Sina made two 3’s amid a late 11-4 run that energized the Bearcats.