Sigi Koizar, shown above in an earlier game this year, helped Maine extend their home winning streak on Wednesday night. Photo by UMaine Athletics.
BANGOR- The home winning steak is still alive and well as the University of Maine Women’s basketball team used a strong second half Wednesday night to open up a close game and defeat the visiting Hartford Hawks 61-43 in America East play in front of 1,559 onlookers at the Cross Insurance Center.
In a rematch of an America East semifinal game played last March in which Maine was eliminated by the Hawks, the Bears and Hawks played a close first half with Maine owning a slight edge with a 28-24 lead at halftime.
Maine took over in the third period, led by Sigi Koizar. Maine was able to outscore Hartford 19-10 in the quarter, 11 of those by Koizar, to take a commanding 13 point lead into the fourth quarter.
Maine would extend the lead to as many as 21 late and now extend their home winning steak to 15 games. Maine is now 15-7 overall and 6-1 in conference play. Hartford was plagued by 19 turnovers on the night that led to a 23-3 Maine scoring edge off turnovers on the evening. Maine committed 11.
Along with a game high 24 points, including four from three point range, Koizar also added 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Bella Swan had 14 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists, Mikaela Gustafsson had 8 points and Liz Wood also had 8 to go along with 12 rebounds. Anna Heise saw action late in the contest for the first time since she broke her finger in a game at Vermont on January 6. Heise was able to break into the scorebook with a pair of free throws.
Hartford, who has their 2 game win streak snapped, drops to 8-12 overall and 4-3 in America East. Katelynn Skinner led the way with 9 points for the Hawks, while Christie Michals had 8 and Darby Lee had 7 along with 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Maine returns to action Saturday as they hit the road to play Binghamton at 2 p.m. Hartford returns home on Sunday at 2 p.m. to play host to America East leader Albany.
Hartford (43)
Skinner 3-0-9, Michals 3-0-8, Lee 3-1-7, Abed 2-0-6, Douglass 2-0-5, Hall 2-0-4, Reaves 1-0-2, Harrison 1-0-2, Pattison, Knowles
3 pt goals: Skinner 3, Michals 2, Abed 2, Douglass Free throws: 1-1 100%
Maine (61)
Koizar 8-4-24, Swan 7-0-14, Gustafsson 4-0-8, Wood 3-0-8, Charles 2-1-5, Heise 0-2-2, Mitrovic, Bodine, Weckstrom, Jones, Rossignol, Gerostergiou, Hernandez-Pepe, Johnson
3 point goals: Koizar 4, Wood 2
Free throws: 7-7 100%
HAR 11 13 10 9- 43
UME 11 17 19 14- 61
