Sophomore center Sandra Vaitkute (Charlottesville, VA) netted a career high 17 points against UNH on Wed., March 5. Vaitkute also grabbed 6 boards and blocked 2 shots in the contest versus the Wildcats.

Sandra Vaitkute scores career-high 17 points for Maine

The University of Maine women's basketball team dropped a tough 66-58 decision to border-rival New Hampshire on Wednesday night at Alfond Arena in Orono. The Black Bears concluded their regular season with a 7-22 overall record and a 4-12 mark in America East, while UNH ran its record to 7-20 and 4-11 in the league.

The Black Bears were led in scoring by Sandra Vaitkute's career-high 17 points. In addition to her point total, Vaitkut pulled down six rebounds and blocked a game-high two shots. A pair of Black Bears logged double-doubles, including Kristin Baker with a career-high tying 12 points and a career-best 10 rebounds. Baker also handed out five assists while swiping a team-high three steals. Amanda Tewksbury was Maine's other double-double performer as he notched 11 points and 10 boards. It marked her third double-double this season.

Jacinda Williams paced New Hampshire with 14 points, while Candace Williams tossed in 13. Amy Simpson and Racheal Fowler were the Wildcats' other double-digit scorers at 12 and 10 points, respectively.

For their efforts, Tewksbury and Williams were named the America East Players of the Game.

The Black Bears held a 52-48 lead with seven minutes remaining in the contest on a jumper by Tewksbury. However, UNH fought back to knot the score at 52 a minute later on a pair of free throws and a jumper by Candace Williams. Baker answered at the other end of the court with a driving layup to put the Black Bears back up at 54-52 with 5:10 to go.

UNH didn't fold and scored nine-straight points to open up a 61-54 advantage with just 2:14 remaining. The run was sparked by four points from Jacinda Williams and three from Denise Beliveau. The Wildcats would not trail the rest of the way in earning the win.

Maine shot 41 percent (18-of-44) from the floor, while UNH managed to convert on just 38 percent (23-of-60) of its shots. The Black Bears out-rebounded the Wildcats by a 37-33 margin, as Maine out-rebounded its conference foes in all but three league games this season. Two of those contests where Maine didn't out-rebound the opponent, the Black Bears ended up pulling down the same number of boards. However, UNH capitalized by scoring 25 points of Maine turnovers, while also holding a 16-6 advantage in second chance points.

The Wildcats raced out to a 10-3 lead four minutes into the contest, but Maine responded and pulled within two at 10-8 on a Baker three pointer. The teams traded baskets for the next few minutes as UNH held a 20-15 at the 10:06 mark of the first half. Maine rallied and scored the game's ensuing 16 points, and eventually built a 31-23 lead heading into the locker room at halftime. Vaitkute and Tewksbury each netted a team-best seven points for Maine in the opening 20 minutes.

The game marked Senior Night, as guard Kris Younan was honored prior to the game for her four years of commitment to the Black Bear program. Younan finished with eight points and a game-high six assists while playing nearly all 40 minutes. She left the game with 18 seconds remaining to a standing ovation from the crowd of nearly 1,500.

Maine earned the eighth seed for next week's America East Tournament and will face Stony Brook on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Both teams split their two-game regular season series this year with both winning on their respective home floors. For more information on the 2008 America East Tournament, please visit the women's basketball page at www.AmericaEast.com(.)

Sophomore guard Mark Socoby (Houlton, ME) notched a career high 30 points, including an America East tournament record 9 three-pointers, in a 1st round game versus Stony Brook on Fri., March 7.

Socoby pours in 30 for Maine

The University of Maine men's basketball team dropped a tough game to Stony Brook in overtime by the score of 73-65. With the win, Stony Brook improved to 7-22 while Maine finished the season at 7-23. Maine was led by Mark Socoby (Houlton, Maine) who had a career-high 30 points, inlcuding nine three-pointers which set an America East tournament record. Stony Brook was led by Ricky Lucas (Herndon, Va.) who had 18 points.

Both teams got off to a slow start, but the Black Bears took an 8-6 lead when Owes hit a three-pointer. After trading baskets, Maine took a 16-10 lead on a three-pointer by All-America East third team member Mark Socoby. The Seawolves followed by scoring five straight points and tied the game a couple plays later on a three-pointer by Lucas.

After trading baskets, the Seawolves appeared to have an easy layup, but Jordan Cook (Hampden, Maine) swatted the ball away from behind.

After the teams were tied at 25, Socoby hit back-to-back threes to inbetween a Stony Brook basket to give Maine a four-point lead. Sean McNally (Gardiner, Maine) had a layup with a minute left and the Black Bears took a 33-28 lead into halftime.

Socoby had 12 points to lead Maine at halftime while MvNally had five points and seven rebounds. Maine shot 42 percent from the floor in the first stanza.

Stony Brook was led by Lucas' 11 points. The Seawolves shot 38 percent in the first half while out-rebounding the Black Bears by a 21-to-15 margin.

Maine went on an eight-to-two run to open the second half behind Socoby's six points during the first four minutes. The Seawolves cam back, and with a little over 13 minutes to go Maine had a six-point lead at 44-38. The teams traded baskets, and Maine grabbed a 48-40 advantage. The Seawolves chipped away, and with just over seven minutes to go Maine held a 50-47 lead. Stony Brook tied it on a Nick Carter (Huntington Station, N. Y.), but Maine came back and a Brian Andre (Bingham, Maine) free throw later the Black Bears had a one-point advantage.

After a Stony Brook layup, Junior Bernal (Manhattan, N.Y.) made one-of-two gree throws and the game was knotted ta 52 with just under four minutes to go.

Andre made two free throws, and Stony Brook followed with a three to take a one-point lead with under two minutes remaining. After two Seawolves free throws made it 57-54, Socoby banked in a three-pointer to tie the game with four seconds to go to push the game to overtime.

In the overtime, the Seawolves scored the first eight points and the Black Bears could not make it up.