The 2016-17 UMaine Womens Basketball team. Photo courtesy of UMaine Athletics.
The University of Maine Womens Basketball team is set to open up their 2016-17 season Friday night in the Tip-Off Tournament at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
Maine will face Purdue Friday evening at 5 p.m. The Boilermakers from the Big 10 conference is coached by former Maine Head Coach Sharon Versyp. Purdue made the NCAA Tournament after a 20-12 mark in 2015-16.
The Black Bears return only one starter from the 2015-16 squad in senior point guard Sigi Koizar. Koizar averaged 17.7 points a game last season and was picked this year to the Preseason America East All Conference Team. Maine went 26-9 a year ago that included the America East regular season title, before a heartbreaking 59-58 loss to Albany in the America East Title game. The Bears ended the year with a 90-44 loss in the WNIT to Quinnipiac.
Villanova from the Big East comes off a second straight appearance in the WNIT after a 20-12 record last season where they fell in a second round game to Hofstra. Mississippi State from the SEC rounds out the four teams in the field. The Bulldogs from Mississippi State went 28-8 last season and made it to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to eventual National Champion Connecticut.
Villanova and Mississippi State play 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Maine-Purdue game Friday evening. No matter how the Black Bears do Friday evening, Maine will play either the winner or loser of the Villanova/Mississippi State game Saturday night at 7 p.m. while the other contest begins Saturday at 5 p.m.
