ORONO, Maine — Athletic director
Shawn Heilbron gathered the Stony Brook women's basketball team on March 12, 2020, to share heartbreaking news.
After a dazzling regular season that included a nation-best 22-game winning streak — and one win from earning the first NCAA Tournament berth in program history —the America East Tournament had been canceled on the eve of a finals matchup between top-seeded Stony Brook and second-seeded Maine due to COVID-19.
Later that day, the plug was pulled on the NCAA Tournament, too.
"It was a lot of emotions," Stony Brook guard
Anastasia Warren said. "It was all over the place. We were sad because we didn't get to play that game. But we're back again. So this is our chance."
Sure enough, one year to the day of the cancellation, Stony Brook and Maine will meet Friday at 5 p.m. to determine the league's NCAA Tournament qualifier.
The teams split the regular-season series. This time, though, the game will be held in Orono, with the Black Bears having earned the top seed in 2020-21 and the Seawolves as the No. 2 seed.
"It's been a long journey," Stony Brook guard
Asiah Dingle said. "We've sacrificed a lot this season. We're ready to put it all on the floor tomorrow. We're ready. There's a lot of excitement."
Dingle said she cannot speak for her teammates, but she has spent the week visualizing what a win and punching a ticket to the Big Dance would mean.
The Seawolves traveled to Maine on Tuesday.
"It's been playing ever since we've got here," Dingle said, pointing to her mind with both hands. "'It's Tuesday. All right. Three more days. … Two more days.' … And now we can finally say, 'One more day.' I've been thinking about it. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm picturing myself like, 'We did it! Finally, it's here!'"
Stony Brook hosted Maine for back-to-back games Feb. 13-14 at Island Federal Arena. And the teams split a pair of tight contests.
The Seawolves captured the opener, 59-54, to snap Maine's nine-game winning streak.
Stony Brook had grabbed a 52-47 lead on a three-pointer from
Gigi Gonzalez with 3:25 remaining. Maine then closed to within a point, but
Hailey Zeise answered with a pair of free throws with 1:14 to go. And after a missed driving layup by Maine,
Earlette Scott grabbed the rebound and was fouled. She proceeded to sink two free throws at the other end with 42.1 seconds remaining to reopen a five-point advantage.
On Day 2, Maine emerged victorious, 54-49. Employing a full-court press, Maine took its first lead, 43-41, with an 11-0 fourth-quarter run that included three steals in a 38-second span. The lead eventually swelled to six points late.
Zeise's three-pointer with 61 seconds remaining pulled Stony Brook within 52-49, but a late possession with a bid to tie went awry.
That second game's outcome ultimately proved the difference between Maine and Stony Brook having homecourt advantage for Friday's championship.
"I'm not expecting anything less than the last two games we played them," Dingle said. "It's not going to be easy. It's two great teams matching up. It's just about who is going to do the little things and who is going to fight down to the wire."
Said Warren: "We know each other so well. We've just got to give it our all. We've been working all year for this."
