Younan, the lone senior on the Black Bear women's basketball team, pumped in a career-high 18 points in a win over Boston University at Alfond Arena on Wednesday, January 27. This marked the second time in three conference home games this season she has either tied or set her career-high in points.

Ross pours in career-high 22 points; Younan tosses in career-high 18 points

Five Black Bears scored in double-figures to lead the University of Maine women's basketball team to a thrilling 82-77 win over Boston University on Wednesday night at Alfond Arena in Orono. Maine improved to 5-13 overall and 2-3 in America East. The Terriers fell to 9-8 and 2-2 in the league.

Black Bear freshman guard Tanna Ross led all scorers with a career-high tying 22 points, as Maine snapped a three-game losing skid. It marked the third time this season Ross topped 20 points scoring in a contest. Senior guard Kris Younan pumped in a career-high 18 points, marking the second time in three conference home games this season she has either tied or set her career-high in points. Emily Rousseau and Brittany Boser each chipped in 12 points, while Amanda Tewksbury netted 10 for her third-straight double-figure scoring output.

Maine, as a team, shot 43.4 percent from the field, and went an impressive 33-of-40 from the free throw line (82.5 percent). The Black Bears out-rebounded BU by a 47-36 margin, which tied a season-high for rebounds in a contest. Ross and Boser each ripped down eight rebounds, while Tewksbury and Rousseau each collected six. Younan totaled five boards while also handing out six assists. The Black Bears scored 41 points in each half, as the point total in the first half was the most tossed in by Maine this season.

Jesyka Burks-Wiley notched a team-high 19 points for the Terriers, while Aly Hinton (15 points) and Kristi Dini (12 points) were BU's other double-figure scorers. The Terriers managed to get to the free throw line just 16 times and only convert eight of those attempts.

With the game tied at 69-69 with 3:37 to go, Maine responded by going on a 11-4 run to open up an 80-73 advantage with 40 seconds remaining. Ross aided the run by scoring four points, including a three-point play at the 1:04 mark. Rousseau capped the rally with a pair of free throws.

However, back-to-back jumpers by Kristen Folk and Cheri Raffo brought BU back within three at 80-77 with :04 left. Hinton committed a foul on Younan after Raffo's basket to stop the clock in hopes of preserving time for a potential last-second game-tying three point attempt. Maine's lone senior would have none of that and calmly sank both free throws at the other end to nail down the win for Maine.

The game was played a frantic pace as the the lead changed hands 20 times with an additional 12 ties. The victory was Maine's seventh-consecutive home win over the Terriers. The contest also marked the 200th women's basketball game played at Alfond Arena since the facility started hosting games midway through the 1991-92 season. The Arena has definitely served as a home-court advantage for the Black Bears as they are 150-50 in the first 200 contests for a 75 percent winning percentage.

Maine built a 41-38 lead heading into the locker room at halftime. The lead was built on the strength of Ross' 16 first-half points. BU kept it close in the opening 20 minutes by shooting a strong 47 percent (7-of-15) from behind the arc.

Maine returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Burlington, Vt., to face Vermont at 1 p.m., at Patrick Gymnasium. The game can be heard live throughout the state of Maine on the Black Bear Sports Radio Network. Fans outside the coverage area can listen to the games live over the internet at www.GoBlackBears.com(.) Maine returns home on Saturday, Feb. 2, when it plays host to Binghamton at 12 p.m. Tickets still remain for the contest and can be purchased by calling 581-BEAR or toll-free at (800) 756-TEAM.

Houlton, Maine native Mark Socoby paced the Black Bears in an 81-70 victory over Albany in America East play on Wednesday, January 27. Socoby shot a scorching 66 percent from behind the arc, and was a perfect 6 for 6 from the free-throw line while tossing in 20 points in the Black Bear victory.

Socoby lead Maine with 20 points

The men's basketball team defeated Albany Wednesday night by the score of 81-70. With the win, Maine improved tp 6-13, and 2-4 in America East. Albany fell to 9-10 and 4-3. Maine was led by Mark Socoby (Houlton, Maine) who had 20 points while Brian Lillis (Urbandale, Iowa) had 19 for Albany.

The Black Bears took a five point lead four minutes into the game when Junior Bernal cut hard to the basket and made a layup. Kaimondre Owes (Brooklyn, New York) had a nice play as he posted up then spun around a Great Danes defender for the reverse layup. Albany battled back, and the two teams were tied at 12 with a little over 11 minutes to go in the first half.

The defensive play of the first half occurred when Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine) had a fantastic block on Brian Lillis as Lillis led an Albany three-on-one. Lillis went up for the layup, but McNally came from behind and swatted it hard off the backboard.

The Black Bears took a 35-30 lead going into halftime. Maine was led in the first half by Owes who had nine points and Brian Andre (Bingham, Maine) with eight. McNally had five points and two blocks in the first stanza. The Black Bears shot an amazing 70 percent in the first half on 12-of-17 shooting. Maine was out-rebounded 13-to-12 in the first half.

Tim Ambrose (Brentwood, New York) led Albany with 10 points in the first half. The Great Danes shot 41 percent from the field on 12-of-29 shooting.

Albany went on a 19-to-four run to open the second half, but Maine battled back. Owes got fouled and then was pushed by Great Danes forward Brett Gifford (Columbia, Missouri) resulting in a technical foul. Owes made the two free throws and Mark Socoby (Houlton, Maine) made the two free throws on the technical. On the ensuing in-bounds play Socoby hit a three-pointer to close the lead to four points. Maine then took the lead a couple minutes later after the Black Bears stopped the Great Danes on a couple of possessions as Mark Socoby came off a screen and drained a three-pointer.

Maine continued to battle hard, and had a five-point lead with three-and-a-half minutes to go in the game. The Black Bears played tough defense and made crucial free throws, including going 22-for-22 in the second half to win the game.

The Black Bears return to action on Sunday, Jan. 27 when they battle Binghamton at 12pm. Tickets are still available, and can be purchased by calling 581-BEAR or toll-free at (800) 756-TEAM.