Lady Bengals Basketball Grind Out Win over Maine Maritime
Many times, basketball games can be viewed as works of art, often times, the players prance throughout the court so gracefully that many observers describe basketball games between two good teams as poetry in motion. The Tuesday evening match-up between the UMFK Bengals and the Maine Maritime Academy Mariners would most certainly not be described as anything poetic. That game would be more accurately described as a parked car stuck in the snow, unsuccessfully spinning its wheels time and time again, never able to gain enough rhythm or momentum to gain an inch.
In a game dominated by the officials, where there seemed to be a whistle every other possession, the Bengals were fortunate enough to make enough clutch plays throughout the second half to beat the Mariners on the road 55-46, making it their fourth win in five days in the midst of a tough stretch including seven games in ten days.
Despite being down by five points at halftime, the Bengals rallied back and gained the lead 29-28 with a three-point shot by Madison Fenner seven minutes into the third quarter. Additionally, the full-court pressure defense from the Bengals forcing the Mariners into 34 total turnovers was what propelled the Bengals to never look back after gaining that small lead.
Due to the tight officiating from the referees, neither team was ever able to gain any sort of momentum however the Bengals just got the necessary stops defensively and made enough timely baskets offensively to gain the slim advantage.
That win for UMFK marks their 20th of the season, and they are currently ranked number one overall in the latest USCAA poll. The Bengals lead the USCAA in assists with just over 18 per game, Tajaheray McMahan is the fourth leading scorer in the USCAA with 18 points per game, and point guard Trinity Washington is fifth in rebounds with 10.2 a game and leads the USCAA in assists with 7 per game.
The Bengals’ next game is January 31st against Central Maine Community College in Auburn, Maine, in what will be a game between two teams with only three losses apiece.