Bates women beat USM for first time since 2004, 78-55

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Nov 23, 2010

LEWISTON, Maine -- The Bates College women's basketball team blasted in-state rival Southern Maine 78-55 on Tuesday night in Alumni Gym. The Bobcats' (2-1) first win over the Huskies (2-2) since precisely six years ago, Nov. 23, 2004, in the same gym, snaps perennial powerhouse USM's six-game winning streak against Bates.

Bates (2-1) senior Jessie Igoe (Lexington, Mass.) scored a game-high 14 points to go with eight rebounds, while sophomore Brianna Hawkins (South Portland, Maine) scored a career-high 12 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field, and grabbed six rebounds. Christine McCall submitted nine points and tied a career high with 10 rebounds, and junior Annie Burns (Topsfield, Mass.) handed out seven assists and made five steals. Sophomore Lauren Dobish (Chambersburg, Pa.) tied a career high with five assists and scored eight points for Bates, while first-year Meredith Kelly (Cohasset, Mass.) and sophomore Taryn O'Connell (Georgetown, Mass.) chipped in with eight points apiece.

Junior Courtney Cochran (Waite, Maine) grabbed 10 rebounds for the Huskies (2-2) and her eight points tied for the team scoring lead with first-years Erin McNamara (West Newbury, Mass.) and Lauren Rousseau (Biddeford, Maine). USM committed 26 turnovers and was outrebounded by a 48-32 margin by the Bobcats.

Bates asserted themselves aggressively from early on in the game. Dobish made a steal and passed to Kelly for a layup and an 18-9 lead with 10:53 to go. Led by Cochran, who had eight points and eight rebounds in the period, USM kept the deficit to single digits. Dobish hit a pair of free throws with three seconds left in the period and Bates took a 34-26 lead into intermission.

Bates poured it on in the second half, shooting 16-for-28 from the field and outscoring USM 44-29 in the period.

Burns stripped USM senior Kaylie DeMillo (Jay, Maine) and fed Dobish for a jumper with 16:35 left in the second half, capping a 13-4 Bates run to start the period. The lead grew as high as 28, at 71-43 with 4:43 left. A Dobish steal led to a layup by O'Connell for a 67-40 lead with 6:41 to go, and a pair of free throws by Dobish made it 71-43.

Bates next plays Nov. 29 at Husson (7 p.m.).