Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (8-7, 1-1 America East) continues league play with its first America East road contest of the season when it travels to take on UMBC (1-14, 0-2 AE) for a 11 a.m. matinee on Wednesday, Jan. 10 live on ESPN3 and over the airwaves at 1230 WGUY. The Black Bears have won seven of the last eight meetings between the two teams.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears fell to 1-1 in the league after suffering a 66-62 overtime loss to visiting Binghamton on Saturday afternoon. Maine, which led by as many as nine in the contest, carried a six-point lead into the fourth quarter but was unable to hold on.
Blanca Millan led the way with 21 points while
Julie Brosseau added 20, assisted by five three-point field goals. The point totals marked the second time this season in which the duo each finished with 20+ (at Miami).
Millan has now tallied double-digit scoring performances in each of Maine's last 14 games, including six 20+ scoring totals. Millan, who checks in fourth in the league at 17.6 points per game, has started conference play by averaging 20.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals while shooting 45.7% from the floor. The sophomore's 36.7% mark from 3-point range ranks second in the league while she is third among AE leaders at 48.1% from the floor. Millan has also been a leader on the defensive end where she leads the league in steals per game (2.9) and ranks 31st nationally with 43 total steals. Brosseau joins Millan in double-figures, ranking eighth in the conference at 13.1 points per game. Brosseau, who has hit four or more three-point field goals in five games, ranks second in the league in three-point field goals (38) and third in both three-point field goals per game (2.5) and three-point percentage (35.2).
Tanesha Sutton, Maine's rebounding (7.2) and assists (3.2) leader, is averaging 9.7 points per game. Sutton ranks fourth in the league at 2.3 steals per game and is a threat on the offensive glass, also ranking fourth in offensive boards (3.3).
The Black Bears rank fourth in the league in both scoring offense (65.4) and defense (58.8). Maine is third in the conference from beyond the arc, shooting 31.9% from long distance but lead the league with 8.3 three-point field goal makes per game and are also atop the conference in three-point makes (125) and attempts (392). The Black Bears are tops in the league averaging 15.5 assists. Defensively, Maine ranks fourth in the league at 9.9 steals per game and have forced the third most turnovers (273) among league leaders.
SCOUTING UMBC:
The Retrievers enter play riding a 12-game losing streak and have yet to defeat a Division I opponent this season. UMBC, whose lone win came over Gettysburg, ranks last in the America East in offensive scoring (51.1) and second to last in defense, allowing 65.5 points per game. The rebounding game has also been a struggle for UMBC, who enters play averaging 32.4 rebounds per game, ninth in the league, with a -8.7 rebounding margin. Laura Castaldo leads the UMBC attack, ranking seventh in the league at 13.2 points per game. Janee'a Summers leads the Retrievers in rebounding, ranking sixth in the league at 6.5 board per game. UMBC has relied heavily on the play of Summers, who checks in sixth in the league at 33.4 minutes to lead all America East freshmen.
A GLIMPSE INTO THE UMBC SERIES:
Maine and UMBC square off in the 29th all-time meeting between the two teams. The Black Bears enter with a 16-12 advantage in the series and have won seven of the last eight meetings. After reeling off seven-straight wins, the Black Bears were defeated in the most recent contest, 66-62, at UMBC, after previously defeating the Retrievers 72-40 in Bangor in 2017. The Black Bears are 6-8 all-time on the road at UMBC, and have won three of the last four road meetings. In two games against UMBC,
Blanca Millan is averaging 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. In the last eight meetings, Maine has outscored UMBC 517-369. All seven of Maine's victories over that span have been by 10+, including two 30+ margins in each of Maine's last two wins in the series.
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