BANGOR, Maine — It was another sluggish offensive start for the University of Maine women’s basketball team on Wednesday night.
But once the Black Bears worked out the kinks with a 24-5 second-quarter surge, they rolled to a 74-44 America East victory over UMass Lowell at the Cross Insurance Center.
“We would like to get that going a little bit earlier going forward, trying to figure out what we can do, if it’s mentally or what it is we need to do, to prepare ourselves a little bit better to get that going earlier,” said senior forward Mikaela Gustafsson.
Coach Richard Barron’s team (12-6, 3-0 AE) registered its 13th straight home win heading into Saturday’s game at four-time defending champion Albany.
Senior Bella Swan scored a game- and career-best 19 points along with four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Swan went 7-for-12 from the field as the Black Bears shot 48 percent (28-for-59) despite a 3-for-14 start.
“When I’m open, I need to shoot the ball because I can shoot the ball and I’m a good shooter,” Swan said. “I think making a couple of those (longer jumpers) has given me a lot of confidence.”
Gustafsson tallied 12 points and seven rebounds and junior guard Sigi Koizar posted 11 points, five assists and five steals. Lauren Bodine added nine points, Liz Wood chipped in with four points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists, and Sophie Weckstrom provided seven points and five assists.
UMass Lowell (3-12, 0-3 AE) was plagued by 22 turnovers, which UMaine converted into 26 points. Nicole Hayner led the visitors with 13 points, three steals and two assists, while Lindsey Doucette (6 rebounds, 3 blocked shots) and Katherine Smith netted 10 points each.
UMass Lowell was without injured No. 2 scorer and rebounder Kayla Gibbs (12.8 ppg, 8.2 rpg).
The Bears finally found a rhythm in the second quarter behind their defensive intensity. UMaine’s 2-3 and 1-3-1 zones and player-to-player defenses helped produce 11 UMass Lowell turnovers.
The hosts capitalized, manufacturing an 18-0 scoring run that turned an 11-7 deficit into a 25-11 lead with 3:52 left in the quarter.
“I thought we picked up our aggressiveness after the first quarter and that made a big difference,” Barron said. “I thought Bella, again, was special.”
Swan helped the Bears get on track early in the second quarter. She swished a 16-footer and Gustafsson scored on a putback to make it 11-11. Swan then made two free throws, converted a conventional three-point play and added a left-handed shot from the lane after two Wood foul shots.
Koizar followed with UMaine’s third straight hoop off a turnover when she stuck a 3-pointer and snipped a 10-footer in transition off a Chantel Charles assist to give the Bears a 25-11 lead with 3:52 left in the half.
UMaine, which led 31-16 at intermission, opened the second half with a 10-0 run that ended the suspense.