Second Half Comeback Falls Short for Maine at New Hampshire

Final	1	2	T
Maine (6-21, 3-11)	22	31	53
New Hampshire (14-12, 7-7)	30	35	65
Lundholm Gymnasium, Durham, N.H.

Maine	New Hampshire
Pts: 2 Players (#01, #03 - 13)	Pts: Beliveau, Denise - 16
Reb: 3 Players (#05, #31, #50 - 5)	Reb: Beliveau, Denise - 7
Ast: Ashleigh Roberts - 2	Ast: LaRosa, Abigail - 4

Team Statistics	Maine	New Hampshire
Field Goal %	29.4% (15-51 )	40.0% (20-50 )
Rebounds	35	31
Assists	6	12
Turnovers	22	15
Pts off Turnovers	11	11
2nd Chance Pts	12	8
Bench Pts	25	10

full stats

DURHAM, N.H. -- The Black Bears (6-22, 3-12 America East) showed a great second half fight Wednesday evening at New Hampshire (15-12, 8-7), fighting back multiple times from down by double-digits to cut the lead to as little as five at one point. However, the Black Bears never could even things up, falling to the Wildcats 65-53. Brittany Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) was named Maine's America East Player of the Game as she tallied 13 points with four rebounds.

Ashleigh Roberts (Wilmington, Del.) also netted 13 point with four rebounds for the Black Bears while Danielle Walczak (Lee, N.H.) added 10 points and five boards.

Each team had trouble finding the bottom of the net early until the Wildcats broke out on a 13-4 run, fueled by threes from Denise Beliveau, Kelsey Hogan and Cari Reed, to take a 21-10 lead with 8:03 remaining in the opening half.

The Black Bears answered with a 4-0 run over the next 2:52 to cut the lead to nine. Roberts drew a foul and hit a pair of free throws to start the streak before Rebecca Knight (Alfred, Maine) put the ball on the floor and took it to the rack for two more.

New Hampshire once again extended its lead, this time to 12, before Maine staged another comeback. Williams jump started the 6-2 run with a three from the left wing. After a Beliveau make, Samantha Baranowski (Stanhope, N.J.) netted a foul line jumper off an assist from a baseline drive by Roberts. A free throw from Baranowski cut the Wildcat lead to eight, 30-22 at the half.

Four quick second half points gave New Hampshire a 12 point lead but Maine would again answer, this time with a 5-0 run to cut the lead to seven. Amber Dillon (Jamaica Plain, Mass.) drew contact and hit a pair of free throws before Roberts hit one of two from the charity stripe. Roberts followed by working around a screen and hitting a jumper from the foul line to bring Maine with seven, 34-27. However a quick 7-0 answer by the Wildcats rebuilt their lead, this time to 14, after six minutes of play in the second half.

Another Maine run brought the Black Bears right back within eight. Maine worked the ball around the key before Williams knocked down her second three of the contest. On Maine's next possession, Williams fed the ball inside to Walczak. Walczak faked to her right into the paint and then cashed in on a nice up and under move, drawing a foul in the process and completing the play with a made free throw. New Hampshire extended its lead to 10 before Maine's defense turned into four points for the Black Bears. Roberts worked to create a steal at half court leading to a fastbreak layup before a Williams steal in the same spot led to a pair of free throws for the senior guard. The Black Bears forced another steal on a Wildcats' fastbreak which led to a free throw from Corinne Wellington (Rochester, N.Y.) as Maine closed with five with 7:38 to play.

Again the Wildcats would answer, this time with an 8-1 run, all on free throws, increasing its lead to 12 with 5:00 to play.

Maine kept battling late including getting a nice dribble drive by Williams in which she also drew a foul and completed the three point play. However, the Wildcats secured their lead with some clutch free throw shooting down the stretch to take the contest 65-53.

Maine finishes off the 2011-12 regular season at home on Senior Day with a contest against Stony Brook on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.

-U-M-