ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (8-9, 1-1 AE) goes for its seventh-straight win over UMass Lowell (3-12, 0-2 AE) when the two teams meet on Wednesday at 7 p.m. live on ESPN3.
 

GAME COVERAGE

ESPN3

LISTEN

LIVE STATS

PREVIEW/NOTES

@BLACKBEARSWBB

A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine snapped out of a four-game losing skid with a 72-40 rout of UMBC, who was selected second in the America East preseason poll. In the win, Maine dominated inside with a 53-34 rebounding advantage while outscoring UMBC 28-16 in the paint. Outside, Maine knocked down 9-of-19 attempts from 3-point range, led by Blanca Millan who hit five 3-pointers while matching a career-high with 17 points. Her performance helped her earn her first America East Rookie of the Week honor. Julie Brosseau added 12 points and seven rebounds for Maine which shot 44.1-percent from the floor. The win was the first for Maine without head coach Richard Barron who is out on medical leave.

Sigi Koizar, who has missed the last two games due to injury, leads Maine at 14.0 points per game. Koizar, who ranks third in the league in scoring, continues to work through her right leg injury. Freshman Laia Sole, who poured in a career-high 21 points at Vermont, is averaging 9.1 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 43.2-percent from the floor. Blanca Millan, the reigning America East Rookie of the Week, is averaging 7.4 points per game. On the defensive end, Millan ranks ninth in the league with 1.6 steals. Over her last three outings, Millan has scored in double-figures twice and recorded a career-high eight boards in two separate games. Julie Brosseau has raised her scoring average from 5.6 to 7.4 as she has tallied double-figures in each of her last five games. Brosseau, who poured in a career-high 15 at Vermont, ranks fifth in the league with 34 makes from beyond the arc and sits eighth with a 39.1-percent mark from outside. Tanesha Sutton has been doing a little bit of everything for the Black Bears. Sutton, who leads the team at 48.0-percent from the floor, is averaging 6.8 points. Sutton also leads the team in rebounding (5.1) and assists (2.6).

Maine turned in one of its best defensive efforts of the season against UMBC, holding the Retrievers to just 40 points and a 23.3-percent shooting mark. The Black Bears are third in the league, allowing 59.2 points per game, and have held 10 opponents under 60 points. The Black Bears have attempted a league-high 355 field goals from 3-point range, knocking down 109. Maine is 38th in the country in 3-point attempts.

SCOUTING UMASS LOWELL:
The River Hawks enter action on a two-game losing streak after dropping their first two America East games of the year. All three of UMass Lowell's wins have came at home this year where it sits at 3-4. The River Hawks started the season with eight-straight losses before a victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.

Junior Kayla Gibbs leads the River Hawk attack as he ranks seventh in the league at 12.6 points per game. Gibbs also leads the team in rebounding (7.4) and steals (1.1). Nicole Hayner is averaging 9.2 points and is a threat from outside, ranking third in the league at 42.6-percent from beyond the arc.

The River Hawks are last in the league in defense, allowing 71.9 points per game. Maine will also look to take advantage of UMass Lowell's turnover issues as it ranks last in the league averaging 24.9 mishaps.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE SERIES:
The Black Bears have won all six meetings with UMass Lowell, meeting twice each of the last three seasons since the River Hawks joined the America East. Maine is 3-0 on the road against UMass Lowell outscoring the River Hawks 222-158 in the trio of meetings. Maine has hit seven or more 3-pointers in five of the six meetings and are holding UMass Lowell to just 53.5 points in the series. In the last three meetings, the Black Bears have held UMass Lowell under 46 points. In the most recent meeting, Sigi Koizar dropped a career-high 32 points in a 73-46 road win for Maine.

-UMaine-