Dartmouth College outscored the University of Maine 15-5 during the pivotal third quarter on Tuesday afternoon, pulling away for a 57-41 women’s basketball victory at Leede Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire.
The Big Green (4-3) limited the Black Bears to 2-for-13 shooting (15 percent) in the period while handing UMaine (3-8) its second straight setback.
Coach Amy Vachon’s Black Bears made only 3 of 26 shots (12 percent) in the second half. UMaine finished the game with 19 turnovers that led directly to 21 points by the hosts.
Annie McKenna led Dartmouth with 18 points, Anna Luce posted 13 points and seven rebounds and Katie Douglas netted 10 points. Elle Louie chipped in seven points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Paula Lenart added five points and a game-high 11 points.
The Big Green shot 44 percent (19-for-43) for the game and outscored the Black Bears 13-8 from the foul line.
Dor Saar paced UMaine with 10 points, three assists and two steals. Anne Simon logged nine points and six rebounds, and Maeve Carroll tossed in eight points and grabbed six rebounds. Kira Barra added eight points and five rebounds.
UMaine led 32-29 at halftime, but it was all Dartmouth in the final 20 minutes. Luce scored from close range early in the third quarter to ignite a 7-0 run that included a Luce 3-pointer and Louie’s layup that gave the hosts a 36-32 lead with 7:55 left in the period.
Saar countered with a jumper for the Black Bears, but Luce and Louie sandwiched baskets around a jumper by Carroll to keep Dartmouth on top by four midway through the quarter.
Lenart followed with a layup and McKenna scored from the paint to give Dartmouth a 44-36 lead with 4:36 left in the quarter. Neither team scored again until Carroll sank a free throw at the 19-second mark.
UMaine was unable to mount any sort of a comeback. In fact, the Black Bears didn’t score again until Saar made two foul shots with 4:53 remaining at which point Dartmouth still led by eight.
UMaine managed only three points over a span of nearly 9 1/2 minutes and could not mount any sort of a rally.
The Black Bears return to the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor on Friday for a 7 p.m. non-league contest against Green Bay.