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Combine stifling guard defense, 22 offensive rebounds and holding the opposing team’s leading scorer to four points, and it makes for an all-around solid effort.
Unfortunately for the University of Maine, it was the Rams of the University of Rhode Island who executed this formula.
URI was able to open up the second half with a 15-4 run, thanks in large part to a scrappy full-court press, and never looked back, defeating the Bear’s 65-48 at the Alfond Arena.
“URI came out in the second half; they were aggressive and they attacked us,” said UMaine head coach Ann McInerney. “We got caught back on our heels.”
The loss marks only the second time that the Black Bears have ever lost back-to-back home games against non-conference opponents. UMaine fell to Dartmouth on Saturday in the annual Dead River Classic tournament.
“We went away from our team concept of passing and moving the ball, and obviously 27 turnovers and giving up 21 offensive rebounds you aren’t going to win many ball games,” added McInerney
The Bears’ struggles didn’t end there. While UMaine shot 11 for 21 in the first half, only two of those baskets – both three-pointers by junior Ashley Underwood – came from outside the paint.
“We were able to create tough shots for our opponent without fouling all of the time and we rebounded the misses,” said URI head coach Tom Garrick. “It was an all-around great effort by our girls.”
“We let a lot of balls slip off our hands and we didn’t do our job of taking care of the ball,” said sophomore guard Margaret Elderton. “If you don’t do the little things then you can’t set up the big picture.”
Both teams traded baskets in the first half, with neither team leading by more than three points. After five lead changes and eight ties, the teams headed into halftime tied at 25.
“The first five minutes of the game we had kids wide open under the basket,” said McInerney. “We could have had easy baskets earlier and at that point URI realized that our ball handlers were really shaky.”
The Rams also beat the Black Bears on the boards, 48-34, marking the first time this season that UMaine has been out-rebounded.
“Rebounding doesn’t take a lot of talent, just a lot of heart,” said senior center Abby Schrader. “They definitely out-hustled us today; they came ready to play.”
“We were able to instill our will in the game defensively in the second half and we were able to knock down some shots,” said URI head coach Tom Garrick.
Schrader notched her third straight double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Red-shirt freshman guard Ameshia Bryant had 11 points, all in the second half, along with five rebounds and three assists off the bench.
“She gave us a great boost,” said McInerney. “We just seemed very flat and afraid to lose, instead of battling to win the game.”
The Black Bears, down by as many as 16 in the second half, pulled within 11 in the final five minutes, but that is as close as they would come as the Rams were able to gain three straight offensive rebounds and let the clock run down.
“We need other people to step up and we need consistency,” said McInerney. “It was a gut check and I don’t think we responded.”
Junior forward Bracey Barker, the Black Bears’ returning leading scorer, struggled from the field, and did not score the first 35 minutes of the game. She finished up with four points and three rebounds.
“We need to go back to doing the little things,” said McInerney. “It’s getting back to the basics and relying on everyone on the court to get better.”
The Black Bears return to action on Saturday when they travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan at 2 p.m.
