With the attendance for women’s basketball at its highest since 2009, the fourth annual “Play4Kay” game couldn’t have come at a better time. A crowd of 3,454 was in attendance to cheer on the Black Bears and show support for the cause.

The Black Bears donned pink jerseys to help raise awareness and money for breast cancer research. Head coach Richard Barron did his part and then some, dyeing his hair pink and then shaving it off at half court following the game.

Barron has led the way in community outreach with women’s basketball, making the Play4Kay game a tradition as well as encouraging his players to walk around the court thanking fans for coming out and inviting kids on the court for their post-game dance.

The Play4Kay game is a part of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Sandra Kay Yow coached the women’s basketball team at North Carolina State University for 34 years. Yow was 737-344 during her tenure and guided the 1988 U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning women’s basketball team.

The women’s basketball team met their goal of raising $10,000 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. They also collected donations for Caring Connections, a local women’s health program. The $2000 in donations was raised largely from a jersey auction featuring jerseys similar to the pink ones the players sported Sunday.

First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, Yow fought the disease and started the Kay Yow Cancer Fund to help fund research and allow more cancer patients access to experimental drugs and clinical trials. Kay Yow passed away in 2009.

Barron also knew Kay Yow through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and his time as an assistant coach for NC State.

To date, the Kay Yow Cancer Fund has raised over $8 million and $2.5 million from the Play4Kay games. After Sunday’s game, the women’s team alone has raised over $40,000.

The Black Bears are tied for first pace in the America East Conference, bringing more attention to their program and the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

The Black Bears would beat Stony Brook University in the game 57-49 behind second-year guard Sigi Koizar’s 21 points.

“You always want to win the pink game,” Koizar said. “Especially with coach looking like that.”

The University of Maine women’s basketball continued to roll Wednesday night, dominating their trip to the University of Massachusetts-Lowell by a score of 74-46 for their 10th straight victory. The win moves the Black Bears up to 18-6 overall and a near-perfect 10-1 in America East Conference play in which they currently sit in second place.

UMaine ran an efficient offense all night, shooting just under 60 percent from the field and 53.3 percent from beyond the arc. They also locked down on the Riverhawks defensively, who shot 29.4 percent from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc.

Third-year forward Liz Wood led all scorers with 21 points on the night, adding six boards and five assists. Third-year guard Chantel Charles continued her hot streak, chipping in 12 points.

Both teams came out of the gate firing offensively, with the score tied at 16-16 halfway through the first frame.

Charles was able to put the Black Bears ahead, converting an and-one layup before nailing a three-pointer on the following possession. Third-year guard Lauren Bodine chipped in a pair of three-pointers before the end of the half, which ended in a 45-26 UMaine advantage.

Bodine, who has been quiet so far this season, connected on all four of her three-point attempts for 12 points on the night.

UMass Lowell third-year guard Jasmine McRoy hit a pair of three-pointers to cut into the UMaine lead to start off the second half, but good team offense from the Black Bears kept the Riverhawks at arms length.

McRoy scored a team-high 14 assists with three boards.

UMaine showed their depth in the second half with the game in hand, as 34 of their points came from the bench.

The Black Bears dominated the undersized Riverhawks on the boards, outrebounding them 36-22.

UMaine second-year guard Sigi Koizar was the main facilitator for the Black Bears offensively, dishing out five assists and grabbing four boards.

University of Maine third-year forward Liz Wood has had her fair share of milestones in her time as a Black Bear, and Sunday she found herself at another one, becoming just the 18th player in UMaine history to score 1,000 points in their 65-43 victory against sharpshooting Hartford University.

“I wouldn’t be the player I am without the team I have,” Wood said. “A lot of the credit goes to them. I’m just happy to see us doing so well.”

The energy in the Cross Insurance Center was fantastic. 3,287 came out for the game, the most for a women’s basketball game since 2009.

“What a great crowd,” UMaine head coach Richard Barron said. “We had great community support. It was a lot of fun and very gratifying for everybody involved with our program here.”

The Black Bears never trailed in the game, jumping out to an early 11-0 run thanks to efficient three-point shooting.

Third-year guard Sophie Weckstrom was the star of the game for the Black Bears, scoring a game-high 17 points with three assists. She got going early on with a pair of three-pointers in the first five minutes.

Hartford fourth-year guard Amber Bebko kept the Hawks in contention as they neared the halfway point of the first frame, connecting on three first-half three-pointers to cut the UMaine lead to 23-17 with 6:03 remaining.

The Black Bears ended the first half on a 6-0 run led by four points from Wood to go into the half with a 29-17 advantage.
UMaine capitalized on its size advantage, outscoring Hartford 22-8 in the paint. Third-year forward Anna Heise was a big part of that, scoring eight points and corralling five rebounds.

The Black Bears were efficient shooting, hitting 50 percent of their shots from the field and 42.1 percent from beyond the arc.

UMaine second-year guard Sigi Koizar was held back by foul trouble all night, but still managed 13 points and four assists.

The Black Bears got another fast second-half start, going on a 10-2 run to start the second frame. They didn’t look back, outscoring the Hawks 34-24 in the second half.

“We knew this was going to be a tough game,” Hartford head coach Jennifer Rizzotti said. “Maine’s playing really good right now. If they can sustain the level that they’re playing at, they’re certainly the team to beat.”

Second-year Hartford guard Morgan Lumb was the only other impact player for the Hawks, scoring 10 points with three assists.

The victory extended UMaine’s win streak to nine games and keeps them in control of the America East.

The Black Bears will be back in action when they travel to take on the University of Massachusetts Lowell Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

The women’s basketball team had a breakthrough 2013-2014 season in which they had the second-largest turnaround in the country, earning the No. 4 seed in the America East Championship.

The Black Bears have cemented their status as a contender in the America East this season by going on a nine game winning streak, highlighted by a 52-44 win at the University at Albany. Albany hadn’t lost a conference game yet this season.

This season, the Black Bears hold an overall 17-6 record, going 9-1 in America East play.

Defensively, the Black Bears have been playing championship-level basketball. They lead America East in scoring defense at 50.1 points per game. Much of this is due to the 2-3 matchup zone, which puts pressure on opposing guards to move the ball quickly, oftentimes leading to mistakes. UMaine is second in steals, likely a product of this defense.

Third-year forward Liz Wood is a huge part of this defense, leading the league in steals.

Wood’s active hands and nose for the ball have made her invaluable for a team that sometimes struggles on the boards, ranking around the middle of the pack.

This run has vaulted the Black Bears into second place in the conference in scoring offense. This charge has been led by second-year guard Sigi Koizar, whose newfound aggressiveness on the court has given the Black Bears another consistent scorer. Koizar’s ability to blow past defenders and her poise late in games has spurred her team to several close wins.

This has been a major point of improvement for the Black Bears, as they struggled in close conference games last year. Their improved play late in games has been a difference-maker this year.

The depth that UMaine possesses has also allowed them room for a top player to have an off night. Last year, if Wood wasn’t clicking offensively, it was a huge struggle for the Black Bears to establish a rhythm. In their game against Albany, the Seawolves made a concerted effort to keep Wood quiet and succeeded, holding her to two points (though she did have nine boards). Third-year guard Chantel Charles was able to pick up the slack, scoring a season-high 16 points in 31 minutes of play. Charles also nailed a couple of clutch three-pointers down the stretch that kept Albany at arm’s length.

Third-year forward Anna Heise has also been more aggressive for the Black Bears. Heise, a post player with impressive range, has been efficient around the rim and unafraid to step beyond the arc for an occasional three-pointer.

The Black Bears do not necessarily live or die by the three, but when they are hot from downtown, they are nearly impossible to beat.

For example, in their victory against the University of New Hampshire a couple of weeks ago, the Black Bears were able to get into a rhythm early with their three-point shooting. They ended up finishing the game shooting 57 percent from beyond the arc, led by third-year guard Sophie Weckstrom, who went 4-6.

UMaine has been able to shoot the ball well from beyond the arc without one of the most efficient three-point shooters in the league, second-year Lauren Bodine. Bodine has been hampered with injuries this season, but appears to be getting healthy just in time for the Black Bears to make a run at an America East Championship.

Weckstrom is quietly a key to UMaine’s potential run this season. A small shooting guard, Weckstrom has the ability to shoot from range and is a solid facilitator. When she is confident shooting from three, she opens up opportunities for other scorers and can punish defenses that leave her uncovered.

If the Black Bears stay healthy and keep competing the way they are, they could find themselves at the top of the conference at season’s end.

The University of Maine men’s and women’s track and field teams both had stellar days when they took on The College of the Holy Cross last weekend.

The Black Bears set 21 personal bests on the day, including four facility records and wins in 18 out of 34 events. The men’s team came out with a 98-81 victory while the women took down the Crusaders 95-85.

Men’s team takes home victory

Second-year Asaad Hicks was a huge part of UMaine’s performance, taking first place in the long jump and high jump. Hicks’ high jump of 6’5.5” set a new facility record.

The Black Bears dominated the jumping events, taking the top three spots in the long jump and the top six spots in the high jump. Third-year Julian Hubbard took first place in the triple jump, ahead of two more Black Bears to sweep the event.

Fourth-year thrower Wilson Adams dominated the weight throw, earning a season-best with his first place finish.

Holy Cross dominated the relay events, taking first place in both the 4×400-meter relay and the 4×800-meter relay.

First-year sprinter Mozai Nelson took home first place in a pair of sprinting events, first earning a personal best in the 60-meter dash before winning the 200-meter run with a time of 22.95 seconds.

Second-year Levi Frye recorded a personal best in the one mile with a 4:16 clip.

Women’s team narrowly takes win

The women’s side was also successful, as their throwers led them to their narrow victory.

Third-year Robyn McFetters set a new facility record with her first place finish in the weight throw. Third-year Emily Boardman and second-year Ashley Donohoe took second and third in the event, respectively.

Donohoe had another strong meet, taking first place in the shot put. First-year Rachel Bergeron took home second place in the event.

The triple jump was dominated by the Crusaders, with Alexa Eldracher taking first place. They also took second and third in the event.

Second-year UMaine runner Teal Jackson impressed in the 200-meter run, winning for the Black Bears. Third-years Jaclyn Masters and Katelyn Guilmette took second and third, respectively.

The Black Bears will be back in action on Feb. 14 when they travel to Boston for the Valentine’s Invitational meet.

The University of Maine men’s swimming and diving team had four athletes qualify for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference meet last weekend when they travelled down to Wheaton College for the Wheaton Invitational non-scored meet.

Second-year Timothy Edison, first-year Peter Tirabassi and fourth-year Eric Gaulin all qualified for the ECAC meet that will take place at the end of the season.

The Black Bears captured eight first-place finishes on the day.

UMaine took five of the top six spots in the 200-meter freestyle, with Edison’s first-place finish qualifying him for ECAC’s. Second-year Taylor Ottman finished second in the event.

Second-year Nicolas Sundquist took first place in the 100-meter butterfly and was a part of the 200-meter relay team that took third place in the meet.

The Black Bears took first and second place in the 1000-meter freestyle, with first-year Alexander Penn winning the event and second-year Benjamin Hebert took second place.

Penn also went on to take home first place in the 500-yard freestyle, edging out the competition with a time of 4:56. Second-year Benjamin Hebert took third place, while first-year Connor Mayhew took home fifth.

Tirabassi qualified in two events, first in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:00:06 and also in the 200-meter breaststroke with a time of 2:13:43, winning both races by a solid margin.

Fourth-year swimmer Ryan Fahey took first place in one of his final meets at UMaine, taking home the gold in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:06:49.

The Black Bears will take to the pool again at the ECAC Championships Feb. 27 in Pittsburgh.

Since the University of Maine lost their first conference game of the year to the University at Albany, they have been on a tear. Winners of their last eight games, the Black Bears have seized control of the America East Conference. Their record is now 16-6 with an 8-1 mark in conference play.

Black Bears blow out rivals

The women’s basketball team had the Cross Insurance Center crowd rocking Thursday night when they blew out America East rival University of New Hampshire (UNH) with a near-perfect game, 87-56.

UMaine takes second place in the conference from UNH with the victory.

The Black Bears shot the ball better than they have all season, opening the game 8-8 from the field. They shot a stunning 61 percent and 57 percent from beyond the arc. UNH didn’t necessarily have a bad game, but struggled to keep up with the Black Bears, shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from downtown.

“Offensively they did whatever they wanted to do,” UNH head coach Maureen Magarity said.

Third-year forward Liz Wood was efficient, going 9-10 from the field for 24 points and seven boards.

“Today was really the first day that we saw the offensive efficiency in a game that we see in practice all the time,” Wood said. “It was exciting.”

UMaine took control early and never looked back. A steal by Wood led to an early jumper from third-year forward Anna Heise for a 2-0 lead.

The Black Bears’ offense clicked on all cylinders. Their defense was active early, earning the Black Bears 18 points off of turnover.

Third-year guard Sophie Weckstrom sparked an 11-0 run with a three-pointer that was capped by a three-pointer from Heise to extend the UMaine lead to 23-9. Heise finished with 17 points and four boards, while Weckstrom had 12 points and three assists.

Third-year forward Elizabeth Belanger was key in keeping the game from getting too out of hand early. Belanger scored 14 points and four boards with five assists.

The Black Bears went into halftime with a 40-24 lead.

Wood picked up where she left off in the second half, converting three straight layups to open the frame.

The Black Bears continued their efficient shooting throughout the second half, with most of the starters staying in until about the 7:00 mark.

Second-year UNH guard Kristen Anderson was strong form beyond the arc, connecting on 4-8 from three. She pulled up short after running into a UMaine player in the second half and had to be carried off. Her sister, fourth-year UMaine guard Courtney Anderson, was there to help.

The UMaine defense continued its strong performance in the second half as the offense paced them to the victory.

The Black Bears will face a tough test when they travel to take on the University at Albany Sunday at 2 p.m.

“I think we want to carry this momentum into that game,” Wood said. “If we continue to perform like that, I don’t think there’s a team in this league that can stop us.”

UMaine takes first

The Black Bears are now tied for first place in the conference with Sunday’s victory over the University at Albany.

The battle between the two best defensive teams in the conference was tough and gritty. Points were come by, particularly in a first half that ended with a 16-16 stalemate.

Liz Wood connected on just one shot in the game, though she pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

The Black Bears were led by Koizar, who had a game-high 17 points including several big layups and free throws late.

UMaine struggled uncharacteristically from beyond the arc, going just 4-22. Albany couldn’t get anything going from downtown either, going 0-10.

It was a back-and-forth affair for the first half, with the largest lead coming on a three-pointer from Koizar that gave UMaine a 16-10 advantage.

Third-year defending player of the year Shereesha Richards nailed a layup at the end of the half to knot things up at 16. Richards played all 40 minutes and had 15 points and eight boards for the Great Danes.

The Black Bears came out shooting in the second half, storming out on a 10-2 run.

Third-year UMaine guard Chantel Charles was the story of the second half, where she scored 11 of her season-high 16 points.

Albany clawed back to cut the Black Bears’ lead to 37-34 with 7:28 remaining, but consistent shooting from Charles and Koizar were able to keep the Great Danes at arms length for the rest of the contest.

The University of Maine men’s and women’s track and field teams travelled to the University of New Hampshire (UNH) for a meet with the host school, the University of Vermont (UVM) and Bowdoin College. Both teams took third place finishes on the day, but performed well in field events.

Mens’ team falls

UNH won the men’s meet with 182 points, followed by UVM, UMaine and Bowdoin in fourth.

The Black Bears were led on the day by first-year Connor Harris, who took second place in the high jump and second in the triple jump.

First-year sprinter Mozai Nelson had himself a day as well, taking first place in the 55-meter dash and second place in the 200-meter dash.

UMaine’s 800-meter relay took second on the day, paced by second-years Lucas Bourget and Levi Frye.

The Wildcats took first and second in the shot put, with second-year Michael Shannon taking first with a 48-11.50 and first-year Nicholas Ritzo taking second.

Wildcats take down women’s team

The standings were the same for the women’s side as on the men’s, with UNH taking first, UVM second, followed by UMaine and Bowdoin.

Throwing events were where the Black Bears received most of their points for the women’s side.

Second-year UMaine thrower Ashley Donohoe took first in the shot put, while first-year Rachel Bergeron took home a fifth place finish.

Third-year thrower Emily Boardman took first in the hammer throw for the Black Bears.

Third-year UNH runner Lauren Perrodin dominated the sprinting events, taking first place in the 55-meter dash and the 200-yard dash, the latter of which she just barely edged out second-year UMaine Teal Jackson by .08 seconds.

UVM shined in the 1000-meter run, taking the top three spots. They were led by third-year Hilary Rawding, who finished in a blazing 2:55 to lock up the first spot.

Last night, Tom Brady etched his face onto the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks when he won his fourth Super Bowl ring. The New England Patriots took down the Seattle Seahawks in a wild 27-24 game.

Brady showed why he is considered one of the greatest of all-time, throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He also broke Joe Montana’s Super Bowl touchdown record, which now stands at 12.

The Seahawks employed a defensive gameplan akin to last years’ Super Bowl, in which they allowed Brady to complete short throws and then punished receivers with their hard-hitting defensive backs. Last year, Peyton Manning set the single-game Super Bowl record for completions and his team scored eight points. The system works when it bends, but does not break.

It worked early on, where in his first couple of drives Brady was 8-10 without a touchdown.

It broke when Brady picked apart the Seahawks with short slant routes, taking advantage of running back Shane Vereen and his small, quick group of wide receivers. Brady’s touchdown to Brandon Lafell pass made it 7-0.

Seattle’s wide receivers were give no room by the Pats’ secondary early. The Pats were also able to stack the box and give Marshawn Lynch little to no running room, though Russell Wilson found a way to manufacture a couple of big first-half touchdown drives with the help of a little-known wide receiver named Chris Matthews. Matthews gave the Seahawks their first big gain of the day and later caught a touchdown to send the game into halftime tied.

The beginning of the second half encaptured what the Seahawks are all about. Bobby Wagner made a fantastic read on a pass and intercepted it. The momentum swung, with the Seattle offense coming alive and quickly getting the Pats’ defense on their heels. Russell Wilson showed great playmaking ability with a long run and touchdown pass for a 24-10 advantage.

The Seahawks intensity defensively was matched only by Pete Carroll’s increasingly aggressive gum chewing. They blanketed receivers and did a good job of shutting down the quick receivers that had evaded them on underneath routes for much of the first half.

The Patriots, however, would not be denied. Tom Brady continued to fight, and clinched the game on a clinic with a slow, methodical fourth-quarter drive that gave his team the game-winning 27-24 advantage.

Julian Edelman, one of the most consistent producers for New England all year, was huge in Sunday’s game, catching nine passes for 109 and a touchdown.

The Seahawks weren’t done, as Jermaine Kearse made a spectacular circus catch on his back that gave the ‘Hawks first and goal at the four yard lines with 30 seconds left.

Instead of giving the ball to notoriously strong and successful goal line back Marshawn Lynch or throw a low-risk fade into the back of the end zone, Seattle inexplicably elected to throw the ball across the middle of the field where it was picked off, sealing the Patriots’ fourth Super Bowl title.

It’s been difficult for Patriots fans who saw their team lose in 2008 and again in 2011, so this will be a sweet one.

The University of Maine women’s basketball team had another stellar week, recording three more wins. First, they took down Binghamton University and the University of Vermont (UVM) at home by scores of 74-48 and 74-46, respectively. Then, they took to the road, beating the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) 56-42. The Black Bears now sit tied for second in the America East Conference.

Koizar records double-double

Second-year guard Sigi Koizar paced the Black Bears with a game-high 17 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Third-year forward Liz Wood had a double-double as well, chipping in 16 points and pulling down 11 boards of her own.

The Bearcats were led by a youthful backcourt. First-year guards Imani Watkins and Jasmine Sina both had a team-high 14 points. Binghamton also received a strong contribution from fourth-year forward Sherae Swinson, who chipped in 10 points and grabbed 10 boards.

UMaine got off to a fast start with a 7-0 sprint to start the game. The Bearcats battled back thanks to solid play by third-year guard Kim Albrecht, who finished the game with 10 points.

The Black Bears took an 11-point lead late in the first frame, largely thanks to the efforts of third-year forward Mikaela Gustaffson. Gustaffson chipped in 12 points off of the bench for UMaine, including a couple of big jump shots in the end of the first half.

UMaine shot the ball well, connecting on 49 percent of their shots from the field as opposed to 36 percent from the Bearcats.

UMaine went into the half with a 33-24 advantage.

Offense was not hard to come by in the beginning of the second half, with both teams coming out of the locker rooms firing. Third-year guard Sophie Weckstrom knocked down two of her three three-pointers in the game to extend the UMaine lead to 12.

UMaine dominated on the boards, outrebounding Binghamton 38-31. They were also efficient from beyond the arc, shooting a healthy 39 percent.

The Black Bears locked down defensively, holding Binghamton scoreless for two three-minute droughts down the stretch to lock up their twelfth victory of the season.

Black Bears rout Vermont

Barron calls Liz Wood the “Swiss Army knife,” as he claims that she can do everything that they need on the court.

Wood demonstrated that Thursday night at the Cross Insurance Center, scoring a career-high 30 points with six rebounds, three assists and three steals in a 74-46 win against UVM. Wood was the first women’s basketball player to score 30 since 2007.

“My dad has always wanted me to score 30 points in a basketball game and I had never done it,” Wood said. “I was happy I could do that for him tonight.”

The Black Bears stumbled out of the gate, succumbing to an early 7-4 disadvantage. Wood took over at the 14 minute mark, hitting a pair of three-pointers and then a pair of layups for 10 quick points.

Third-year guard Chantel Charles dished out an assist and a jumper with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first frame to keep the Catamounts at arm’s length. Charles finished the game with nine points and three assists.

UVM did not have a player score in the double digits Thursday night. They were led by second-year guard Jordan Eisler, who scored six points with four assists and a steal.

Wood took over once again at the end of the first half, draining three straight three-pointers to give her 21 first-half points and the Black Bears a 32-17 lead going into the half.

The Catamounts were able to keep pace with the Black Bears to open up the second frame, as they went shot-for shot for the first six minutes. First-year guard Parise Rossignol drilled a three-pointer and converted a transition lay-up as they neared the halfway mark. Rossignol scored eight points in just sevenminutes of play.

The Black Bears played efficientoffensively, turning the ball over just five times as opposed to UVM’s 20. UMaine scored 18 points off of those turnovers.

Three-point shooting leads UMaine past UMBC

The Black Bears faced a tough test Sunday in a UMBC team that was ready to play. After playing two games earlier in the week, UMaine had to travel down to Maryland for an afternoon game on Saturday.

Big games from Wood and Koizar led the Black Bears to their sixth straight victory, as they each had 14 points. Wood added 11 rebounds for a double double and Koizar took down five boards of her own.

The Black Bears never trailed Sunday, jumping out to an early 9-2 lead when Wood, Weckstrom and third-year forward Bella Swan all hit three-point shots on their first three possessions.

Third-year UMBC guard Capree Garner had the first seven points for the Retrievers, as she kept the game from getting out of hand early. Garner finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals.

UMaine did not have much more trouble in the first half, cruising to a 30-20 halftime advantage.

The Retrievers came out hot in the second half, rattling off an 8-2 run near the halfway mark that cut the UMaine lead down to five.

Koizar nailed a three-pointer to stop the bleeding and from there, UMaine was able to pull away. Wood and Koizar combined for 13 points over the last 10 minutes of play to secure the win.

The Black Bears shot 36.8 percent from beyond the arc, which ended up being a difference-maker on Sunday. They also outrebounded UMBC 38-20, with seven of them coming from third-year guard Mikaela Gustaffson.

Swan added eight points and three boards in one of her strongest performances this year.

UMaine returns to the hardwood Thursday night, when they host conference rival the University of New Hampshire at the Cross Insurance Center. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.