University of Maine junior forward Adrianna Smith entered Thursday night’s mutual America East opener against UMass Lowell with nine double-doubles this season which was third-most in the country among players on 348 Division I teams.
It took her just a half to make it 10 double-doubles.
The 6-foot native of Reston, Virginia, had 17 points and 10 rebounds in the first half and finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Black Bears to a 55-43 win over the River Hawks in Lowell, Massachusetts.
UMaine is now 8-7 overall while UMass Lowell fell to 0-13 and has now lost 14 in a row dating back to last season.
Smith had 11 of her points in the second quarter when the Black Bears outscored the River Hawks 21-8 to turn a one-point deficit into a 12-point halftime lead.
UMaine outscored UMass Lowell 10-6 in the third period to extend the lead to 16 and were never threatened.
The Black Bears allowed 19 points in the first quarter to a River Hawk team that was averaging a league-low 49.4 points per game.
But the Black Bears held the River Hawks to just 24 the rest of the game.
Despite the win, the performance left a lot to be desired in the eyes of UMaine head coach Amy Vachon.
“It was a very frustrating night,” Vachon told Black Bear Sports Properties/Van Wagner play-by-play man Don Shields after the game. “Giving up 19 points in the first quarter is inexcusable. And scoring 16 points in a half [like we did in the second half] isn’t going to win many conference games.
“We have to be better,” Vachon added.
UMaine took a lead it would never relinquish in the second quarter when sophomore guard Sarah Talon converted a traditional 3-point play with a layup off an Anne Simon pass and the ensuing free throw.
That made it 22-19.
UMaine broke the game open over the final 1:45 of the half with a 9-2 run that gave the Black Bears a 39-27 lead at the intermission.
Olivia Rockwood began the spurt with a layup off a Smith pass, Smith followed with a layup off a Jaycie Christopher feed, and then Christopher nailed a 3-pointer.
Abbey Lindsey’s basket pulled the River Hawks within 10, but Smith answered with a basket in the paint to close out the first half scoring.
Smith had three assists to go with her 23 points and 15 rebounds.
Simon had 12 points, seven rebounds and was the only other Black Bear in double figures.
Talon finished with six points and two rebounds; Sera Hodgson had five points and Caroline Bornemann had eight rebounds, two steals and two points.
Lindsey and Gabby Ross had 10 points apiece to lead the River Hawks. Ross had the game’s final eight points.
Sydney Watkins had eight points, five steals, three rebounds and two blocked shots, and Leilani Rodriguez contributed seven points, eight rebounds and three assists.
UMaine shot 35.4 percent from the floor including a 2-for-14 showing from beyond the 3-point arc. UMass Lowell shot 24 percent and made two of its 10 shots from long distance.
UMaine outrebounded UMass Lowell 48-36.
UMaine will host defending America East champ and preseason favorite Vermont on Saturday afternoon at 1 at the Memorial Gym.
UMass Lowell will entertain New Hampshire at 2 on Saturday.