Blanca Millan (22), Parise Rossignol (12), and Dor Saar (15) seen here during a game earlier in the season, will be a key part if the Maine women’s basketball is to have success when it faces North Carolina State Saturday in the NCAA Tournament in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo by Anthony Delmonaco.
Many Maine fans remember the first time this season when the Black Bears women’s basketball team faced North Carolina State. It was on December 15 at Reynolds Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Wolfpack shot 70 percent from the floor through three quarters, a school record, and finished at 57 percent in torching Maine 84-46. The America East champions at 25-7 and winners of 14 consecutive games now get a shot at redemption when it heads back to Reynolds Arena this coming Saturday to face NCSU in a first round NCAA Tournament matchup at 1 pm on ESPN 2.
To have that shot at redemption for Maine it starts with the rebounding and play in the paint. The Black Bears were without junior forward Fanny Wadling in the previous matchup with the Wolfpack, and were outscored 40-2 in the paint and outrebounded 50-26. Tanesha Sutton, Wadling, and Blanca Millan the top three rebounders for Maine must be on the boards and keep NC State out of the paint as much as possible to have a chance. Offensively, the Bears had one of their most dismal performances of the season, shooting just 27 percent from the floor and allowed the Wolfpack to pounce on them from the start and putting the game out of reach by halftime at 50-17. Four key starters for the Black Bears in Parise Rossignol, Sutton, Millan and Saar combined to shoot 7-40 (17%) in the game. So key number two is a better offensive showing and balance. Maine also attempted a season high 41 three pointers in that December loss. Offensive stars Millan, Sutton, Rossignol must come through big if Maine wants to advance, and Saar must distribute the basketball and continue her solid job as the floor general in her sophomore season.
For North Carolina State (26-5) they must do the same things they have done consistently all year, including scoring the basketball. Four of the five Wolfpack starters average in double figures, and the team has averaged nearly 72 points per game. Another thing the visiting Maine Black Bears could exlpoit is winning the turnover battle. NCSU averaged 14 per game, while Maine only 11. The Bears like to get out and run and take advantage of errors and could be a big factor in the rematch. All the numbers are fairly close when looking at the tale of the tape. Maine is a minus 8 in rebounding when compared for NCSU, but having the 6 foot 1 Wadling back in this matchup will make a difference. Field goal percentage and three point shooting is almost even, Maine at 42 and 33 percent respectively, and NC State at 45 and 34 percent. In a close game both teams have been fantastic at the free throw line, with NCSU at 70 percent and Maine at 73. The Bears shot 53-58 (91%) combined in their three America East postseason wins from the charity stripe. The Wolfpack, like the Black Bears, love the home court advantage. NCSU went 15-2 at home this season, with losses to a pair of teams also headed to the NCAA Tournament in North Carolina and Notre Dame. Duke and UNC were the two common opponents also that both teams played in the regular season. Maine fell at home on November 15 to Duke 66-63, before beating UNC on the road on December 2nd by a score of 85-73. NCSU beat Duke 63-51 on January 3rd, and split with UNC losing 64-51 on February 3rd and then beating the Heels 74-69 on February 24th.
