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GORHAM — As the rims disappeared from basketball courts in the summer of 2020 around her hometown of Conway, New Hampshire, so did Liz Cote’s love of the game.

The pandemic was isolating, and without basketball, the two-time all-state point guard from Kennett High School felt the effects. She hoped things would turn around when she joined the University of New England for her freshman season in the fall, but the player who showed up in Biddeford didn’t want to be there.

By winter break, she left the program. At the end of the school year, she transferred to the University of Southern Maine and enrolled in online courses.

USM recruited Cote to play basketball out of high school, but by the time she stepped on campus in 2022 for her junior year, joining the team was out of the question. Her dreams of being a collegiate player were tossed away, and she had no intention to look for them.

“I had grieved and moved on from basketball,” Cote said. “Truthfully, to my core, I did not think that it was going to be in my journey again.”

The sport, however, hadn’t moved on from her.

And as Cote and the Huskies prepare to travel to New York City for a third-round matchup against Wisconsin-La Crosse (20-9) in the NCAA Division III tournament, the graduate captain is glad there was more to her hoops journey.

USM (27-2), a former Division III women’s basketball heavyweight, has seen a resurgence this season, winning the program’s first Little East Conference title since 2013 and advancing past the first weekend of the national tournament for the first time since 2007.

Cote, who describes herself as a “classic 3-and-D” shooting guard, is a key reason why.

During the 2022-23 season, Cote spent her time studying the Huskies’ playing style, sitting alone in the Hill Gymnasium bleachers during doubleheaders, and reacclimating to the team environment as a coach for her former AAU team, XL Thunder, in Saco.

“Then one day, I just had this gut feeling,” she said. “I was like, ‘I think I want to come back.'”

Starting in March 2023, Cote spent countless hours refining her skills and getting back into playing shape. Her dribbling may have faded since high school, but her shooting mechanics never went away. Her 3-point shots were undeniable and impressed USM’s new head coach, David Chadbourne.

“One of my first days here, I’m talking with (former men’s coach) Rob (Sanicola) over there in his office, (which) abuts the field house and has windows,” Chadbourne said. “I’m chatting with him and looking out the window, and I see this young lady and a guy … and when it’s her turn to shoot, she doesn’t miss. And I’m like, ‘Who the hell is that?’ He goes, ‘That’s Liz Cote.'”

Cote officially joined the team in the fall of 2023, and the rookie immediately made an impact, cracking the starting lineup in her fourth career game. Last season, she was named to the all-conference second team, averaging 10.7 points and sinking 40.7% of shots from 3.

This season’s stats (7.9 ppg, 33% from 3-point range) are the lowest of her career, but the 23-year old has found another level during the postseason (12 for 23 from 3-point range in the last four games).

After USM’s second-round upset over Bowdoin, Little East Conference player of the year Jaycie Christopher called Cote “the best shooter on our team.” That’s high praise coming from someone who is in position to set the program’s single-season record for 3-point percentage (46.7%).

Cote laughed off the compliment after practice Monday, but sophomore guard Lucy Wiles (16.4 ppg, 43% from 3-point range) agreed.

“It’s one of the biggest factors of why we’ve been winning,” Wiles said. “Just having her on the court opens up so much opportunity for other people, because everyone needs to play her up tight and close, (and) that opens up driving lanes for everyone else.”

Cote knows this season’s success isn’t just because of one person. There is a high level of trust and confidence amongst the team.

“This is the biggest stage that most of us have ever played at, and maybe ever will. … The last thing I want to do is look back on Friday and be like, ‘I wish I did this, I wish I did that,'” Cote said. “I don’t want to be second guessing myself or have any regrets. I know that I have a specific role for this team, and I’m going to do that to the best of my ability and get the job done.”