ORONO- Despite a double double and a game high 24 points from Anne Simon, the Maine Black Bears couldn’t hold a 17 point first half lead on Saturday afternoon as the Providence College Friars rallied back for a 66-61 overtime win in a non-conference basketball home opener at Memorial Gym (The Pit). It was the first time Maine had played in front of home fans since March 8, 2020 when they defeated UMass-Lowell in a America East semifinal in the same building.
Maine (0-2) started off strong as Simon had eight points in the first quarter, as they led 17-3 after one. Providence was held to 1-13 shooting with seven turnovers in the first 10 minutes. Sera Hodgson nailed a three-pointer to start the second that finished off a 12-0 Black Bear run for the biggest lead of the day 20-3. The Friars though would end the first half on a 18-6 spurt of their own to pull within 28-24 at the half.
PC (1-1) took their first lead of the game 32-30 on a reverse layup in the paint by Emily Archibald over Maeve Carroll with 6:49 left in the third quarter. Both teams swapped the lead, before a Carroll basket and three-pointers by Simon and Alba Sirois put the hosts up 44-39. Maine led 44-42 headed to the fourth quarter. After a basket by Olivia Olsen pushed the Friars back in front 48-46, the Black Bears got three-pointers from Simon and Olivia Rockwood and then a steal and layup by Simon to go back up 54-48 with 5:45 left in the fourth. Providence fought back and scored the final five points of regulation, tying it 56-56 with 1:13 remaining on a three point play by Mary Baskerville. The Friars forced a shot clock violation on one of the final chances for the Bears, and Archibald would miss an open three-pointer for the win at the buzzer. The guests took over in the overtime outscoring Maine 10-5, as the hosts went 0-5 from the floor only getting free throws from Sirois, Simon, and Abbe Laurence. The freshman Archibald, the former Kennebunk High star and Miss Maine Basketball, sealed it with a pair from the line with 1.0 second left.
Simon added 11 rebounds, three assists, and four steals to her game high point total. Sirois added 13 points, while Carroll had eight points and five rebounds before fouling out in overtime, and Hodgson had six points. Maine did win the turnover battle 22-16, where they had a 23-8 point advantage off those miscues. Archibald led Providence in the win with 20 points and six rebounds. Janai Crooms had a double double with 18 points and 19 rebounds, and Alyssa Geary had 15 points. Maine head coach Amy Vachon said, “It was a good game, I think we’ve improved since Tuesday. Thought we left alot of points on the board, but thought it was a good basketball game. We’re young and alot of us haven’t been in that position, I’d look out at times and we’d have four sophomores and Anne (Simon) on the floor. We just gotta keep grinding and keep learning”. The Black Bears will host Delaware on Monday night at 7 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.
Maine guard Anne Simon dribbles the ball up the court during the fourth quarter of a non-conference women’s basketball matchup with Providence College on Saturday, November 13 at Memorial Gym in Orono
Providence College freshman forward Emily Archibald (#33) gets ready to play some defense during the third quarter of a non-conference women’s basketball matchup with Maine on Saturday, November 13. The Friars won the game 66-61 in overtime. Photos by Chris Lessner
