Blanca Millan scored a game high 34 points and hit a game winning layup with 17 seconds remaining Sunday afternoon, lifting the Maine Black Bears to a 63-62 win over the Northeastern Huskies in non-conference women’s basketball in Boston.
Both teams had a first quarter lead, as NU (1-1) led by four early and Maine later took a five point advantage. Dor Saar hit a last second three-pointer just before the buzzer to give the Black Bears a 16-13 after the first 10 minutes. The guests led by as many as 10 in the first half thanks to a three from Millan making it 28-18. The Huskies cut into that deficit with an 8-0 run, before the Bears pushed it back to 32-26 at the break. Maine led the entire third quarter and 49-44 as the game headed for the final period. Northeastern finally would catch them, as down eight early in the fourth a three-pointer by Kendall Currence made it 62-61 Huskies with 2:15 to go. It was the first lead for the hosts since the first quarter. Ayanna Dublin missed two big free throws that could of extended the lead with 1:08 remaining, and Millan hit the game winner after the Black Bears had corralled an offensive rebound after a Saar three-point miss. Northeastern had a three-point look, and then two chances in the lane in the closing seconds but couldn’t convert.
Millan added nine rebounds, three steals, and two blocks to her point total for 3-0 Maine. She shot 14-22 from the floor. Saar had eight points and six assists. Anne Simon and Alba Orois both had six points, with Simon also adding four rebounds. Fanny Wadling, who hasn’t played in a regular season game in 21 months, did return and scored two points with five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 12 minutes of action. The Black Bears shot 46% from the floor and only committed eight turnovers, while the Hawks shot 39% and had 20 turnovers. Stella Clark had 21 points (5-8 three-pointers) and added eight rebounds in the loss for Hartford. Currence finished with 19 points. That wraps up non-conference play as Maine wins their first three games of a season for the first time since 2013, and now opens up a two game America East series with Hartford on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m.
