Women’s Basketball
WNIT First Round
MAINE vs. QUINNIPIAC
Time, site: 7 p.m. Friday, TD Bank Sports Center, Hamden, Connecticut
Records: Maine 26-8, Quinnipiac 24-8
Series, last meeting: Quinnipiac leads 2-0, Quinnipiac 68-59 on 12/12/09
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (17.5 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, 1.5 steals per game, .432 3-pt. FG pct.), 5-10 G/F Liz Wood (9.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.5 spg), 6-2 F Mikaela Gustafsson (8.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 apg), 5-11 F Bella Swan (8.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg), 5-8 G Sophie Weckstrom (5.7 ppg, 2.2 apg), 5-10 G Chantel Charles (3.8 ppg); Quinnipiac — 6-2 F Sarah Shewan (8.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg), 5-11 G/F Aryn McClure (8.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.5 blocks per game), 6-0 F Paula Strautmane (8.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.3 bpg, .441 3-pt. pct.), 5-7 G Carly Fabbri (6.3 ppg, 2.5 apg), 6-1 F Morgan Manz (6.6 ppg, .453 3-pt. pct.)
Game notes: The Black Bears embark on a new season in search of the program’s first post-NCAA win since 1990 and its second ever. The Bobcats of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference are 0-5 in post-conference tourney action, including a loss in last year’s NCAA tournament. UMaine had its 14-game win streak broken in the America East title game loss to Albany, while Quinnipiac’s 19-game surge was stopped by Iona in their league championship game. A well-balanced Quinnipiac team is without leading scorer Maria Napolitano (10.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.5 spg), who suffered a knee injury in the MAAC semifinals. The Bobcats have good depth and considerable height. Like UMaine, Quinnipiac has been outstanding at home, where it is 29-2 in the last two-plus seasons. The Bears roll out a defense that ranks third in Division I while allowing 50.0 ppg. They’ll face a Bobcats offense that averages 7.2 3-pointers per game and averages almost 20 free throws per contest. UMaine must contend with Quinnipiac’s length by attacking the basket in transition, defending in the paint without fouling, boxing out for rebounds and preventing the hosts from getting too many open 3-point looks.