Bangor, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team returns home, where it is averaging 70.7 points and outscoring opponents by a +17.6 margin, for a Monday afternoon meeting at 1 p.m. with Vermont. Tickets are available at the Cross Insurance Center box office or online at
TicketMaster.com.
Maine, which has played Vermont (90) more times than any other opponent, has won seven-straight home meetings against the Catamounts.
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A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
In a rematch of the last two America East Championship title games, the Black Bears suffered a 68-54 setback at UAlbany on Saturday. The Black Bears, who carried a 35-32 lead into the half, were outscored 36-19 in the second half. For the seventh-straight game,
Blanca Millan paced Maine's scoring efforts, finishing with 19 points and five rebounds.
Tanesha Sutton added 12 points and five boards while
Dor Saar chipped in 11 points, her third double-digit performance of her freshman year.
Millan, who has recorded double-digit scoring efforts in each of Maine's last 16Â games, enters play ranked fourth in the league at 17.6 points per game. The sophomore has been on fire in conference play as she is averaging 19.8 points per game and 6.0 rebounds, shooting an impressive 49.0-percent from the floor while ranking second in the conference from three-point range (35.8). Defensively, Millan has kept opponents in check as she is the league's leader in steals (2.8) - ranking 25th in the nation with 48 total steals.
Julie Brosseau also had a strong start to conference play, averaging 19.0 points per game in her first three league contests before suffering an ankle injury in the first quarter at Albany. Overall, Brosseau checks in at 12.3 points per game while ranking fourth in the league from three-point range (35.7) and fourth in three-point makes per game (2.4).
Tanesha Sutton, who checks in at 9.9 points per game, has been the biggest key to Maine's rebounding success. Sutton, who leads Maine in rebounding (7.1) and assists (3.1), ranks fourth in the league in rebounding. Sutton has grabbed six or more rebounds in 13 games this season, including four double-digit rebounding performances.
Maine, which ranks fourth in the league in both scoring (64.6) and defense (58.8), has had great offensive success from beyond the arc. The Black Bears lead the America East in three-point makes per game (7.8), led by two of the top four 3-point threats in the league in terms of percentage (Millan/Brosseau). Maine's 133 three-point field goals are a league best. Maine has been heavy to the glass over its last five outings, totaling 40 more more rebounds in four of its last five outings. Maine also checks in with the league's highest assist mark at 15.4 per game.
SCOUTING VERMONT:
After starting conference play 2-0 with wins over UMass Lowell and UMBC, the Catamounts suffered a setback with an 80-57 loss at Stony Brook. Vermont, which led Stony Brook 35-34 at the half, was outscored 46-22 in the second half. Individually, Hanna Crymble leads the Catamounts in scoring (18.6) and rebounding (5.5); ranking third and 13th respectively among league leaders. Crymble, who ranks second in the league with a 57.1 percentage from the floor, is the America East leader from the free throw line (88.6).
As a team, the Catamounts rank eighth out of nine America East teams in scoring, checking in at 61.6 points per game. Defensively, the Catamounts allow 63.6 points per game, seventh best. Vermont enters play ranked third in the league with 7.3 three-point makes per game and are second best at 74.3-percent from the charity stripe. The Black Bears must keep Vermont off the boards as the Catamounts average 38.9 rebounds per game and are also strong inside defensively, ranking second in the America East at 4.3 blocks per game. The Catamounts' achilles heel has been their turnover struggles as they've given it away 286 times, averaging 17.9 mishaps per game.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE VERMONT SERIES:
Maine will meet its most familiar opponent as it will square off against Vermont for the 91st time in history. The Black Bears currently hold a 56-34 advantage in the all-time series, having won eight of the last nine meetings. Maine has won seven-straight home meetings with Vermont as the Catamounts have not won a road game in the series since 2010. Since 1985, Maine is 21-11 at home against the Catamounts. In the latest meeting back on Feb. 1, 2017, Maine defeated Vermont 59-43 behind
Tanesha Sutton's first career double-double (10 pts/13 rebs). Maine and Vermont split last season's two meetings with the Catamounts capturing a 55-52 win in Burlington. In two games,
Julie Brosseau is averaging 10.0 points per game against Vermont, including a 15 point outing last year on the road.
-UMaine-
