FARMINGTON — A game like this can be tough on both teams, but the University of Maine at Farmington women’s coach Jamie Beaudoin looks at it as a learning experience.

Bowdoin College’s 103-33 victory in a women’s NAC basketball game at Dearborn Gymnasium on a cold Tuesday night was indeed an eye-opener for both teams.

“There is a reason why they are one of the top teams in the country year in and year out,” Beaudoin said. “Obviously, they are off to a great start this year. Every position they challenged us — offensively, defensively — and obviously at the start of the game they forced a ton of turnovers and got some easy points off it.

“I think the thing like this is you want your athletes to be challenged, and besides, they faced the biggest challenge that they are going to have this year.

I don’t think they are going to look at us and say, Oh, we did exactly what we wanted to do. But I think in preparing us for other games, it is definitely going to help us down the road and teaches you life lessons. I think that it the most important aspect from tonight that you always have to work hard, and there is always someone out there better than you and how you adjust — and that is going to happen in the real world.”

For the Polar Bears (6-0, 0-0 NESCAC), who ran amok from the outset of the game, the lopsided win gave Bowdoin an opportunity to tryout its zone defense — and it worked well. With an insurmountable lead, the Polar Bears gave everybody on the bench some serious playing time.

“Obviously, depth is our biggest strength so I think it gives our team a chance, I think, focus on, that was the first time we have done the zone, so it was great to work on the shifts and the zone,” Bowdoin college coach Adrienne Shibles said.

Every Bowdoin player got into the act, with only two Polar Bears scoring in double digits — guards Lauren Petit (12 points) and Abigail Kelly (10).

A first-quarter onslaught provided clear evidence that the Polar Bears were going to run away with it. They built a 32-13 lead in the first stanza and constructed 58-21 cushion at halftime. Bowdoin’s defense was so constricting that Beavers (1-6, 1-2 NAC) could come up with another 12 points in the second half.

The Polar Bears eventually reached the century mark with just minutes left in the fourth quarter. UMF committed 33 turnovers and was outrebounded 50-19.

For the Beavers, Kennadi Grover tossed in the game-high 15 points and Paige Carter scored eight.

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