Women’s Basketball
America East Championship
MAINE vs. ALBANY
Time, site: Friday, 4:30 p.m., SEFCU Arena, Albany, New York
Records: UMaine 18-15, Albany 20-11
Series, last meeting: UMaine leads 19-17, Albany 64-60 on 2/18/17
Key players: Maine — 5-8 G Sigi Koizar (14.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 steals per game), 6-2 F Laia Sole (9.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.8 apg), 5-11 F Blanca Millan (8-5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.8 spg, 1.7 apg), 5-10 G Tanesha Sutton (7.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 2.6 apg), 6-1 F Fanny Wadling (4.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg), 5-8 G Julie Brosseau (7.0 ppg, 1.7 rpg), 6-3 F Anita Kelava (3.4 ppg, 2.3 rpg); Albany — 5-8 G Imani Tate (19.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.2 spg), 5-11 G Jessica Fequiere (12.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.9 apg), 6-1 G Bailey Hixson (9 ppg, 4.1 rpg), 6-2 F-C Tiana-Jo Carter (6.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 1.3 blocked shots), 5-7 G Mackenzie Trpcic (4.8 ppg, 3.9 apg, 2 rpg), 5-6 G Khepera Stokes (3.1 ppg, 3 apg, 1.8 rpg), 6-2 F Heather Forster (4.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg)
Game notes: The Great Danes are 12-1 at home while the Black Bears are 3-12 on the road. UMaine must hold its own on the boards and continue to play solid team defense. Millan has become a top-notch defender and she will probably be assigned to guard Tate, although the Black Bears have unveiled a matchup 2-3 zone in the postseason that played an important role in their AE tournament wins over Binghamton and New Hampshire. The Black Bears are just 6-for-23 from beyond the 3-point arc in the postseason and could certainly benefit from having a better shooting performance. Naples native and former Lake Region High School star Carter won the America East Sixth Player of the Year Award two years ago and UMaine’s Sole won it this season.