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The University of Maine women’s basketball season came to an end Saturday night. The 13th seeded Black Bears were defeated by fourth seeded Texas Tech in the first round of the NCAA tournament Mideast regional 60-50.
The Black Bears outplayed Texas Tech in many aspects but they also shot just 55 percent from the free-throw line. Maine’s three seniors, Heather Ernest, Julie Veilleux and Melissa Heon, were held to just eight points combined. The game in Missoula, Mont., marked the first time that Maine has played in the tournament in four years.
Led by junior Missy Traversi, who had 20 points in 23 minutes off the bench, the Black Bears kept the game close and gave the Red Raiders a scare. Maine got out to a 6-2 lead early on, but Texas Tech quickly tied the game at six. The lead changed hands four times in the first half, but the Red Raiders went into the locker room at halftime with the momentum and a 29-25 lead. Maine never led in the second half. Although they cut the lead to two in the early going, an 8-1 run by Texas Tech put The Black Bears down by nine. They battled back though, and made it a 41-38 score, but the Red Raiders then went on a seven point run and Maine could not come back.
Junior Monica Peterson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds. Peterson, who rarely started all season, started and played 36 minutes for Maine. Other than Peterson and Traversi, the rest of the Black Bears were pretty quiet. Ernest had three points and eight rebounds. Peterson and Heon, who had two points and did not hit a field goal all night, each fouled out. Heon did grab six boards. Alesha Robertson led the way the Texas Tech. She had 16 points and six rebounds. Casey Jackson had 13 points and 12 rebounds on 5-9 shooting.
Maine was killed in the paint 28-14 and Texas Tech had a number of fast break points.
Maine may have lost to Texas Tech, but has no reason to hang their heads after a 25-7 season.
“We battled,” said Maine coach Sharon Versyp to the Maine Sunday Telegram. “We challenged them, we stayed right with them. We just didn’t get over that hump.”
Ernest was named America East player of the year for the second year in a row, after averaging 16.5 points per game this season. Texas Tech held her to just three points.
“They were physical,” said Ernest in the Telegram, “Everywhere I turned there seemed to be someone else waiting. They did a good job and I didn’t take good shots. When you shoot one for nine, it’s not pretty.”
Texas Tech also shut down Heon, who was only allowed to attempt four shots. Veilleux scored just two points.
“They were denying me all the way,” said Heon to the Telegram. “They didn’t let me shoot. Usually when that’s happened, someone else has stepped up. Missy and Monica did, but it wasn’t enough.”
“We didn’t want to just show up,” Traversi said to the Telegram. “We wanted to compete with this team. I wanted to give my team a boost tonight, but it wasn’t enough.”
