Women’s Basketball
America East Quarterfinals
No. 2 Maine vs. No. 7 New Hampshire
Time, site: noon Saturday, Events Center, Vestal, New York
Records: Maine 24-7 (15-1 America East), New Hampshire 12-17 (6-10)
Series, last meeting: Maine leads 46-30, Maine 59-55 on 2/8/16
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (17.5 points per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, 3.9 assists per game, 1.6 steals per game, .434 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-10 G/F Liz Wood (9.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 spg), 6-2 F Mikaela Gustafsson (8.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.0 apg), 5-11 F Bella Swan (8.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 5-8 G Sophie Weckstrom (6.3 ppg, 2.3 apg), 5-9 G Lauren Bodine (4.6 ppg); UNH — 5-10 G Elizabeth Belanger (16.9 ppg, 7.0 rpg), 6-2 C Carlie Pogue (11.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg), 6-1 F Ashley Storey (5.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg), 5-9 G Aliza Simpson (4.9 ppg, 2.5 apg), 5-7 G Kristen Anderson (4.7 ppg, 3.4 apg)
Game notes: The Black Bears begin their quest to reach the program’s first AE final since 2005 against the Wildcats. UMaine won both regular-season meetings, but UNH made it interesting the last time out. The average margin of victory is only seven points. The Bears have won 12 in a row, capping the regular season with Saturday’s 69-37 rout of Binghamton. The Wildcats beat UMBC 67-59 on Sunday and have won four of their last five. UMaine continues to rely on its stingy defense, which ranks fourth in the country while allowing only 49.9 ppg (47.2 ppg in AE games). The Bears must keep Belanger in check and not allow Pogue to get the ball in the paint or along the baseline, where she excels. UMaine also must assert itself on the boards and stay out of foul trouble. On offense, the Bears eye an effective mix of attacking in transition and wearing down the defense with patient half-court sets. UMaine is 18-1 this season when scoring 60 points or more.