Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (4-2) continues its four-game road swing as it looks for its fifth win in six games when it travels to take on Toledo (4-1) Thursday at 7 p.m. on ESPN3 in the first meeting between the two since 2007. A win for the Black Bears would give them their best start to a season since also starting 5-2 in 2013-14.
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A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
UMaine is coming off a split at the Miami Thanksgiving Tournament in which it dropped an 80-70 decision to host Miami before scoring a convincing, 75-39 victory over Kennesaw St. In the win, four Black Bears finished in double-figures led by Fanny Wadling's career-high 17 points effort. Julie Brosseau was named to the Miami Thanksgiving All-Tournament Team and earned America East Co-Player of the Week Honors after averaging 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists.
The Black Bears, who have prided their defensive effort over the past three seasons, have opened the year with impressive offensive efforts. A year after averaging 59.9 points per game, Maine, which has scored 70+ in its last five outings, ranks second in the America East at 70.8 points per game. To find the last time Maine scored 70+ in five-straight games you would have to go all the way back to 2000.
As impressive as the offense has been, the defensive effort is still true to past years where Maine currently ranks 19th in the nation allowing just 53.3 points to its opponents over the opening six contests. Part of the early success can be contributed to Maine's ability to take care of the ball, and also distribute it. The Black Bears check in 22nd nationally and second in the league with just 12.3 turnovers per game. Maine ranks 14th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.49), 34th in assists per game (18.3) and 36th in total assists (110); leading the America East in each of the three categories.
Individually, Blanca Millan has shined for the Black Bears. Millan, who has recorded double-digit scoring performances in each of Maine's last five outings, including three 20+ showings, ranks third in the America East at 18.3 points per game. On defense, Millan ranks 24th nationally with 19 steals and is the America East leader in both total steals and steals per game (3.2). The sophomore guard has been efficiently impressive as she boasts a 56.6% mark from the floor.
Tanesha Sutton is coming off her second double-double of the year after finishing with 12 points and season-high 12 rebounds against Kennesaw St. Sutton, averaging 9.7 points per game, checks in third in the league at 7.5 rebounds per game to go along with 3.3 assists and a 51.1% mark from the field. Julie Brosseau, the reigning America East Co-Player of the Week, is adding 9.7 points after a career-high 20 points outing at Miami.
SCOUTING TOLEDO:
Toledo, currently ranked No. 24 in the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and coming off a MAC Championship season, are currently in the midst of a four-game win streak after a 74-57 victory at Iona on Monday afternoon. UT is 3-0 on its home court this season and enter action riding a nine-game win streak at Savage Arena. Junior Kaayla McIntyre leads the way with 13.2 points per game and ranks seventh in the MAC with 8.4 rebounds. McIntyre's 69.0% showing from the field is tops among MAC leaders and fourth in the country. Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott (12.2) and Olivia Cunningham (10.2) are each adding double-figure scoring efforts. Defensively, Toledo ranks third in the MAC and 38th in the country in turnovers forced (21.4).
A GLIMPSE INTO THE TOLEDO SERIES:
Maine and Toledo will be meeting for just the second time in history. UT leads the all-time series 1-0 after a 61-57 neutral site victory in the championship of the Miami Holiday Tournament on Dec. 30, 2007. The Black Bears are 9-6 all-time against the MAC. Maine's most recent meeting with a MAC school came on Nov. 28, 2009 when it defeated Buffalo in Orono, 58-53.
STREAK OF 70:
With a 75 point scoring effort on Nov. 26 against Kennesaw St., the Black Bears have now scored 70+ in five-straight games. Maine last scored 70+ in consecutive games on Jan. 2-Jan. 15 of 2000. The point guard on that year's team? Current head coach,
Amy Vachon.
BENEFITING OFF THE TURNOVERS:
In its last four outings, Maine is forcing 20.5 turnovers per game. The Black Bears have forced 20+ turnovers in three of their last four outings, including a season-high 25 against UMaine Fort Kent.
SUTTON ON THE BOARDS:
Tanesha Sutton, who ranks third in the America East in rebounding (7.5), has been a force on the boards for the Black Bears. Sutton has recorded six or more rebounds in five of Maine's first six games. Twice Sutton has pulled down double-digit rebounds and has recorded double-doubles in each of those performances.
OPPOSING FIELD GOAL WOES:
Maine's field goal percentage defense ranks third in the conference (34.8) while the Black Bears have held opponents to a slim 24.7% from 3-point range. Three times this season, Maine has held the opponent to under 30% from the field (28.6 - Tulane; 23.7 - Harvard; 28.8 - Kennesaw St.).
BROSSEAU COLLECTING THE AWARDS:
Sophomore Julie Brosseau earned her first America East Co-Player of the Week award, along with being named to the Miami Thanksgiving All-Tournament team, after impressive performance on Nov. 24-26. Brosseau averaged 18.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists at the Miami Tournament, including pouring in a career-high 20 points against Miami. Brosseau followed up the performance with a 16 point, seven rebound, six assist effort in Maine's win over Kennesaw St.
DEFENSE UNDER 50:
Maine has prided itself on defense over the past three seasons. The Black Bears are 40-2 over the past five seasons when holding a team under 50 points. What's even more impressive is that the Black Bears have held 42 opponents under 50 points in four seasons.
ECLIPSING THE CENTURY MARK:
On Nov. 16, the Black Bears defeated UMaine Fort Kent by a 100-40 final. The scoring total marked the first time Maine had scored 100+ since a 110-72 victory against Drexel in 1997. It also was the 21st time in the history of the program that Maine had reached the 100 point mark.
HOT START ON D:
The Black Bears, who have ranked in the top-3 of the America East in scoring defense over the past three seasons, including leading the league twice, have carried the trend into the 2017 season. Maine currently ranks second in the league, and 19th nationally, in scoring defense (53.3).
20-20:
Blanca Millan, who scored 20+ twice in her freshman season, has already surpassed last season's total after pouring in 28 against Harvard before tallying 26 against Bryant and 21 at Miami. Millan is the first Black Bear to eclipse the 20+ mark in back-to-back games since
Sigi Koizar recorded scoring performances of 20 and 32 back on Feb. 8 and 11, 2016.
-UMaine-
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