For some, the 2010-2011 USM women’s basketball season could be considered a disappointment according to the program’s standards.
For the first time since 1994, they failed to make a Division III NCAA Tournament appearance, and for the first time in 31 years they failed to win 20 games in a season, ending an NCAA record of most consecutive 20-win seasons. However, they earned a number two seed in the DIII ECAC Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament, and capitalized in clutch situations in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds before losing to the number one seeded UNE Nor’Easters 79-67 in the championship game on Saturday in Biddeford.
After being ousted by the third-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors in the second semi-final game of the 2011 Little East Conference Tournament, the Huskies defeated Regis College in the ECAC quarterfinals 62-59. USM then notched a down-to-the-wire victory over the number three seeded Endicott College Gulls in the semifinals of the tournament 54-53, advancing them to the championship round against UNE.
In the championship game, the Nor’Easters’ 19 point lead early in the second half was diminished as the Huskies went on a 29-9 over the next ten minutes to give the them a 60-59 lead with just under ten minutes to play. Freshman Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford) had a breakout game as she scored 11 points during the run. UNE would strike back, though, as they went on a 9-0 run and gained a lead they wouldn’t relinquish after the teams traded baskets. After that point UNE led by six points or more the rest of the way en route to the 79-67 win.
USM junior Courtney Cochran (Waite) and Rousseau led the Huskies with 17 points each. Sophomore Haley Jordan (Falmouth) contributed 13, and senior Becky Dixon (Pittston) chipped in with ten.
Although the Huskies failed to advance to the NCAAs for the first time in 17 seasons, they have a lot to look forward to for the 2011-2012 season, as they’ll have a lineup that has the talent to bring them back to postseason glory. Cochran, who recorded her team-leading 16th double-double in the Regis game and was named an LEC first team performer by the conference early last week, will be back for her senior season as an early candidate for LEC Player of the Year. She averaged 15.1 points and 10.7 rebounds in 2010-2011 to go along with a .457 shooting percentage from the field.
Junior Renee Nicholas (Sebago), freshman Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.), Rousseau and Jordan will also return to the court in ‘11-’12. Nicholas will enter her senior season after averaging 8.7 PPG and garnering a team-leading 76 steals in ‘10-’11 while also being named to the LEC All-Defensive team for the second year in a row. McNamara was named to the LEC All-Rookie Team this season after averaging 6.9 points and dishing out a team-leading 89 assists while taking over the responsibilities as the Huskies’ starting point guard.
Also joining Cochran and Nicholas, returning for her senior season is junior co-captain Nicole Garland (Portland) who had a breakout season in ‘10-’11. The 3-point specialist averaged 5.4 PPG this season with a .416 3-point field goal percentage, and turned in performances of 14, 18, and more recently 22 points in the Huskies’ loss to Eastern Connecticut in the LEC tournament, in which she went 6-for-8 from beyond the arc.
“We have some good underclassmen coming back and a great recruiting class coming in,” USM Head Coach Gary Fifield said. “The foundation is set for us to grow and get back to one of the elite teams in the country.”
The Huskies will wave goodbye to senior co-captain and USM’s all-time 3-point field goal leader Kaylie DeMillo (Jay), who finished a tremendous career with a season that saw her score her 1,000th career point and break the 3-pointer record. Dixon also concludes her career on a high note as she helped a balanced young team come along, and provided a great presence on the low block.
With the ‘10-’11 season over, it’s safe to say that there are good things to come for the future of the USM women’s basketball program.
how about UNE BEATING THEM!!