FROM STAFF REPORTS
BIDDEFORD — Sam MacDonald poured in 25 points and the University of New England led from start-to-finish in a 76-56 women’s basketball victory over Bates College on Monday evening at the Harold Alfond Forum.
The Nor’easters (4-1) controlled the action from the opening tip, and after seven offensive rebounds in their first couple possessions, MacDonald hit a three-pointer to begin things. UNE stretched the margin to 19-3 within minutes, and settled on the same spread (28-12) at the end of the 1st period. MacDonald was one shy (11) of matching the Bobcats on her own.
Bates closed to within seven at 38-31 during the 2nd, but trailed by a dozen (43-31) at halftime. MacDonald tacked on another 11 in the frame; the 22 first-half points was already the second-highest scoring output of her career, following only a personal-best 28 from last season.
The difference was in double digits for the entirety of the third, although the Bobcats had the gap down to 10 (60-50) through 30 minutes. But by the time Bates broke through in the 4th — with 5:03 remaining — UNE’s lead had swelled to 20.
MacDonald grabbed eight rebounds to go with her 10-of-13 shooting performance from the floor, nearly the opposite of the 24.6 percent field-goal accuracy from her teammates. Jocelyn Chaput added a double-double of 13 points, 10 boards, and four assists. Nine points apiece came from Kristie McNall and Elyssa Nicholas, while Ashley Coneys and Olivia Shaw, who is from Saco, combined for 16 points and 15 rebounds. Shaw also had four assists and three steals.
UNE crashed the offensive glass for 27 caroms, more than half of its 50-33 advantage in the rebounding department.
For Bates (1-4), Nina Davenport notched 20 points and shared the team-high of seven rebounds with Taylor McVeigh and Lexie Nason. Julia Middlebrook and Emily Freeland contributed 11 and nine points, respectively.
The Nor’easters have one day of rest before entertaining Gordon College in the Commonwealth Coast Conference opener on Wednesday.