SBU Sports: Women’s hoops defeats Maine in conference play

The Stony Brook University women’s basketball program secured its first road win in conference play as it defeated Maine (5-9, 2-2 America East), 63-44, on January 9 at the Cross Insurance Center.

The Seawolves had three players score in double-digits, senior guard Anastasia Warren led the team in scoring with a team-high 15 points. Graduate forwards India Pagan and Leighah-Amori Wool followed closely behind finishing with 13 points and 12 points, respectively.

Stony Brook came out strong and took an early lead at the start of the game, a product of a 14-0 scoring run. The Seawolves were able to continue the momentum into the second quarter where they led the Black Bears by 21 points, the largest lead of the contest.

Maine rallied back in the second half cutting the lead to only eight with 9:27 to go, but Stony Brook did not let the Black Bears get any closer than that as Wool hit back-to-back three pointers to secure the Seawolves’ lead.

Stony Brook improved to 11-2, 2-1 America East and has won four of its last five games, as it heads into a matchup with Vermont on Wednesday night back on the Island.

STATS AND NOTES

• Warren’s team-high 15 points mark the fifth time this season that she has led the scoring for the Seawolves.
• Junior guard Gigi Gonzalez recorded a career-high four steals and dished out a team-high five assists. It was the fifth time this season that she dished out five or more assists in a game.
• Pagan’s 13 points mark the seventh time this season she has finished in double figures – Stony Brook has won each of those contests.
• Stony Brook’s defense forced 18 turnovers and only let up 14 points in the paint, the lowest amount Maine has scored in the paint all season. The 18 forced turnovers are the second-most forced against the Black Bears this year.
• The 21 made free-throws are a new season-high for Stony Brook
•  Stony Brook held the Black Bears well below their average shooting clips, as they only managed 29.1 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from beyond the arc. Their season averages are 37.8 and 25.5, respectively.
• It was the fifth time this season that Stony Brook held an opponent under 50 points. The 44 points allowed are tied for the second-fewest the Seawolves allowed in a game this season (held Rutgers to 44 points on Nov. 16). Stony Brook has held each of its last two opponents to under 50 points (limited Hartford to a season-low 39 points on Jan. 2).
•  The Seawolves are now 10-0 when they outrebound their opponents, winning the battle on the boards, 46-26.
• The team also improved to 5-1 when three players score in double figures.

“I’m pleased with today’s win on the road versus a good Maine team that is hard to beat at home. We started the game very focused which we’ve been talking about as a team. Again, our defense and rebounding ultimately won the game,” said head coach Ashley Langford.