Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team, coming off a four-game road trip, return to host Maine Maritime at the Cross Insurance Center on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. in a game presented by Bangor Savings Bank. The Black Bears are 38-4 at the Cross Center in their last 42 games. Maine and Maine Maritime Academy will be meeting for the second time in history as the Black Bears defeated MMA, 73-37, back in 2011. Between the women's and men's game, the Black Bears invite all kids in attendance to join them on court for the annual Meet the Black Bears event, presented by Dominos.
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A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears return home for the first time since Nov. 16 after enduring a four-game road trip. Most recently, the Black Bears dropped an 83-70 decision at No. 8 Ohio State on Sunday. In the loss, Julie Brosseau poured in a career-high 29 points. Brosseau tied Maine's single-game three point field goal record when she knocked down seven 3-pointers at Ohio State. Brosseau is now averaging 14.1 points and has tallied 20 or more points in three of Maine's last four games. Blanca Millan leads the Black Bears at 17.4 points per game and has recorded double-digit scoring performances in each of Maine's last seven games. Defensively, Millan leads the America East in total steals (24) and steals per game (3.0) ranking in the top-30 nationally in each category.
Tanesha Sutton, coming off her third double-double of the year, is adding 11.0 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds.
As a team, the Black Bears rank second in the America East in scoring at 69.9 points per game. On the defensive end, Maine is holding opponents to just 58.5 points. The Black Bears have done a great job taking care of the ball, ranking second in the league at 13.5 turnovers per game. Maine is tops in the conference with 17.4 assists per game. Maine's 1.29 assist to turnover ratio is also tops in the America East and an impressive 28th among NCAA leaders.
Maine's 3-point shooting has come on strong over its past five outings. Maine has hit eight or more 3-pointers in four of its last five games, including a season-high 14 at Ohio State. The Black Bears lead the America East, and rank 37th nationally, with 8.5 makes from three-point range per game.
SCOUTING MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY:
The Mariners enter at 3-2 this season and are coming off a 58-50 loss at Husson on Saturday. Alayne Felix tallied her 1,000th point in the loss while finishing with a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds. Felix leads the way offensively for MMA, averaging 15.2 points with a 50.0 percent showing from the floor. The junior forward is also the team leader with 8.0 rebounds. Megan McLean, averaging 8.6 points, is the team leader with 4.6 assists and 2.8 steals.
The Mariners average 63.2 points per game while surrendering 52.4. The Mariners have been impressive on the boards, averaging 47.2 per game and outrebounding the opposition by a +14.6 margin. Maine Maritime Academy has struggled to take care of the ball and enter play averaging 21.6 turnovers per game.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE MAINE MARITIME ACADEMY SERIES:
UMaine and MMA have met just one time in history, a 73-37 victory for the Black Bears in a game played at Memorial Gym on Nov. 29, 2011. In that game, current Black Bear assistant coach
Courtney Anderson England scored a team-high 10 points.
BROSSEAU SEEING 20-20
Julie Brosseau has recorded 20 or more points in back-to-back games and three of Maine's last four outings. Brosseau tallied a career-high 26 points at Toledo before responding with a 29 point effort at Ohio State. Over her last four games, Brosseau is averging 22.8 points while shooting 47.2-percent (17-of-36) from 3-point range.
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL AND DISHING IT OUT
In the early going, the Black Bears have been able to take care of the ball and distribute it at a high level. Maine ranks 33rd in the NCAA and tops in America East in assists per game (17.4) while checking in second in the league with only 13.5 turnovers per game. The stats lead to an assist/turnover ratio of 1.29 - good for 28th in the nation.
BROSSEAU FOR THREE
In a game at Ohio State, Julie Brosseau tied the UMaine all-time record for three-point field goals made in a single game when she knocked down seven. Brosseau joined
Lauren Bodine and Tanna Ross as the only three in UMaine history to accomplish the feat. Brosseau has hit three or more 3-pointers in each of her last four games and ranks third in the league with 2.5 makes from three-point range per game.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE SUTTON
Tanesha Sutton has recorded three double-doubles in Maine's first eight games. In those games, Sutton is averaging 14.3 points and 11.0 rebounds.
SUTTON ON THE BOARDS
Tanesha Sutton, who ranks fourth in the America East in rebounding (8.0), has been a force on the boards for the Black Bears. Sutton has recorded six or more rebounds in seven of Maine's first eight games. Three-times Sutton has pulled down double-digit rebounds and has recorded double-doubles in each of those performances. Offensively, Sutton ranks second in the league with 32 of her 64 total rebounds coming on the offensive boards.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Black Bears have been very impressive at home in recent history. Maine is 38-4 on its home court in its last 42 outings, including a 22-2 mark in America East play. The home mark includes a 21-game win streak, including a 13-0 home record in 2015-16. Last season, Maine averaged 66.6 points per game at home, outscoring opponents by a +9.2 margin compared to averaging 56.2 ppg on the road.
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