Senior Liz Wood scored eight points to help stake the University of Maine to an early 14-point lead on Saturday afternoon, sparking the Black Bears to a 52-38 America East women’s basketball victory over Binghamton at The Events Center in Vestal, New York.
Wood finished the contest with 18 points, 14 rebounds, three assists, three steals and a blocked shot to help coach Richard Barron’s team improve to 16-7 overall, 7-1 in league play, with its fourth straight win.
Junior Sigi Koizar contributed 14 points and four assists for UMaine, which received 12 points and six rebounds from senior Lauren Bodine, who made four 3-pointers. Bella Swan added six points and nine rebounds.
Imani Watkins (5 rebounds) and Rebecca Carmody scored nine points each to pace Binghamton (9-12, 4-4 AE), while Kim Albrecht and Alyssa James posted eight points apiece.
The Black Bears did not enjoy one of their better offensive days, but instead built the victory around their defense. The Bearcats were held to 32 percent shooting (13-for-41) and registered only one assist while committing 20 turnovers.
UMaine wound up shooting 33 percent (20-for-60) and racked up a 43-28 rebounding advantage. The Black Bears went 1-for-12 from the floor in the fourth quarter and committed six of their 15 turnovers in the period.
UMaine bolted to a 12-2 lead in the first 6:19 behind five points each from Wood and Koizar and extended the advantage to 21-4 on a Bodine 3-pointer during the first minute of the second quarter.
However, Binghamton responded with a 12-0 surge behind six points from Albrecht to get the hosts back within five points. The Black Bears led 26-18 at halftime.
The Bearcats hung close, but Bodine got heated up from beyond the arc for UMaine. Her third 3 of the quarter and Wood’s layup 30 seconds later restored the Black Bears’ lead to 38-26 with 4:46 to play in the period.
The teams both experienced protracted offensive struggles after that and by the time Carmody made two free throws with 6:07 remaining in the contest, UMaine had extended its advantage to 18 points (44-26).