ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (18-15, 9-7 America East) will meet UAlbany (20-11, 12-4 AE) in a rematch of last season's America East title game on Friday live on ESPNU at 4:30 PM. The Black Bears will be looking for their fourth America East title and first since defeating Boston University by a score of 68-43 in 2004. A win would give Maine its eighth NCAA tournament appearance and eighth overall postseason title after it captured four North Atlantic Conference titles. Maine is 40-23 all-time in conference tournament action and 22-16 in America East postseason games. Maine is making its second-straight AE title game appearance and 17th overall conference championship showing.

FULL GAME NOTES/PREVIEW

A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine enters championship action riding a three-game win streak after back-to-back wins over Binghamton before knocking off No. 1 seed New Hampshire by a score of 61-52 in the America East semifinals. Sigi Koizar, averaging 18.5 points in this year's tournament, went 13-for-18 from the free throw line en route to a game-high 21 points in Maine's semifinal victory. Maine's defense has shined in the first two games of the tournament as the Black Bears are allowing just 46.0 points per game while forcing 21.5 turnovers.

Three-time all-conference first team selection Sigi Koizar leads the way for Maine, ranking fourth in the league at 14.1 points per game. Koizar, averaging 18.5 points per game in this year's tournament, has tallied double-digit scoring efforts in each of her seven games, including a trio of 20+ point outings. Over that run, Koizar is 19.3 points. Koizar is 20th in the league in rebounding (4.4), 13th in assists (2.4), eighth in steals (1.9) and second from the free throw line (81.1%). Most recently, Koizar tallied her 1,657 point to move her into sixth on Maine's all-time scoring list. The Black Bears feature two all-rookie team selections in Laia Sole and Blanca Millan. Sole, also awarded the America East sixth player of the year award, is averaging 9.5 points and 3.6 rebounds. Sole's 46.3 percent mark from the field is good for seventh in the league. This season, Sole has produced double-digits scoring outings in 15 games with nine of those coming against conference foes. Millan is adding 8.5 points per game and has notched double-digits in each of Maine's tournament games. Millan, averaging 12.5 points per game in tournament action, has been a fierce defender at the top of the key for Maine all season where she ranks 10th in the league at 1.8 steals per game. Millan's impressive 43.7 percent field goal mark is also 10th best in the league. Tanesha Sutton, averaging 7.5 points per game, leads Maine in rebounding (4.8) and assists (2.6) and field goal percentage (47.1).

Maine's defense continues to improve as it now ranks 44th in the country, and second in the America East, allowing just 57.8 points per game. The Black Bears have held 18 opponents to 60 points or fewer, including 12 to 50 points or less. In their last three outings, Maine is allowing just 47.0 points per game. The Black Bears have relied heavily by their 3-point shot, ranking second in the league in both 3-point makes (199) and 3-point attempts (662); which is also 56th nationally.

MAINE CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT HISTORY/POSTSEASON VS. UALBANY:
Maine has captured seven conference titles, three as a member of the America East dating back to 2004, and will be looking for its first conference title since 2004. The Black Bears are 40-23 all-time in conference postseason action and enter at 22-16 in America East tournament action. Prior to the America East, Maine went 14-2 in the North Atlantic Conference postseason and were 4-5 in postseason contests as a member of the Seaboard Conference. This is Maine's fourth appearance as the No. 4 seed. Maine, which is 2-3 all-time as a four-seed, also entered play at No. 4 in 2001, 2002 and 2014. The Black Bears are 7-9 all-time in conference championships with their last win coming in 2004; a 68-43 victory over Boston University. Maine is 8-1 all-time in the conference tournament against the No. 2 seed.

Maine is 2-2 all-time against Albany in the tournament. Last season, the two met in the America East title game, with the Great Danes winning 59-58. Maine had a chance to win it with a last second shot but came up short. Sigi Koizar tallied 15 points in the loss. The Black Bears have lost two-straight tournament games to Albany; last season's championship and an opening round game in 2009 (63-43). Maine won the first two tournament meeting between it and the Great Danes; a 73-56 opening round victory in 2006 and a 62-49 semifinal decision in 2004.

ALL-TIME HISTORY VS. ALBANY:
Maine and UAlbany will meet for the 37th time. The Black Bears enter play with a 19-17 advantage in the all-time series. The teams have split four postseason meetings, with Albany winning the last two. Overall, the teams have split each of the last seven meetings. Each team won on its own home court this season. Maine took the first victory of the year, 84-71. The 84 points by Maine was its highest output of the year. In that game, Blanca Millan led all scorers with a career-high 26 points, including five 3-pointers. At Albany, the Great Danes took the victory 64-60. Koizar led all scorers with 25. Maine, which trailed by as many as 13, cut the lead to a pair in the fourth but could not get over the hump. Maine is 8-9 all-time at UAlbany and have lost three-straight road contests to the Danes. Maine's last win in Albany came on Feb. 1, 2015, a 52-44 decision. Sigi Koizar, has tallied double-digits in five-straight game in the series and enters averaging 13.1 points and 5.6 rebounds in nine meetings with UAlbany.

SCOUTING ALBANY:
The Great Danes are led by three-time all-conference selection Imani Tate, the league's leading scorer at 19.1 points per game. Tate also leads the Great Danes in assists (3.9) and steals (2.2). All-conference second team selection Jessica Fequiere ranks seventh in the league at 12.7 points per game and is second in the league at 7.3 rebounds per game while leading the league on the offensive boards (2.9). Bailey Hixon is adding 9.0 points and ranks fourth in the league at 37.4 percent from 3-point range after hitting six in the AE semifinals.

Maine must limit Albany on the glass to be successful. The Great Danes are tops in the league at 39.2 rebounds per game, 15.2 on the offensive glass, and hold a +4.8 rebounding margin over competition. Albany is also tops in the league in assists (15.5) and field goal percentage (41.8).

KOIZAR'S TOURNAMENT GREATNESS:
With a 21 point effort, and a 13-for-18 showing from the free throw line, Koizar led the Black Bears past UNH and into their second consecutive America East championship game. Her 21 points moved her into sixth on Maine's all-time scoring list (1,657 pts). Koizar has been Maine's leading scorer in each of the last five postseason games and has tallied double-digits in eight of her nine playoff games, with the lone single digit showing being a nine point effort during her freshman year. Koizar is averaging 15.6 points per game in America East tournament play over her career. This season, Koizar is averaging 18.5 points per game in the postseason.



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