Bangor, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team moved into sole possession of first place in the America East standings after a dominant 77-46 victory over New Hampshire at the Cross Insurance Center on Thursday evening. The victory, Maine's eighth in a row, lift the Black Bears to 10-2 in league play and 17-8 overall.

Tanesha Sutton tallied her fourth double-double of the season as four Black Bears posted double-digit scoring efforts. Sutton finished with 12 points, 11 boards and four assists while Julie Brosseau poured in a game-high 19 points, hitting 5-of-9 from three-point range. Blanca Millan posted her 24th consecutive double-figure performance with 16 points while Fanndy Wadling went 7-for-9 from the field for 15 points to go along with six rebounds and a career-high four blocks.

Maine moves to 13-1 overall and 8-0 in league play when outrebounding its opponent after holding a 40-29 edge on the boards. The Black Bears, who entered action ranked 14th nationally in scoring defense (55.2 ppg) was able to hold its 10th opponent of the year to 50 points or fewer.

Maine's defensive effort held New Hampshire to a combined 7-for-30 from the floor in the first and fourth quarters combined. The Black Bears posted their second-highest shooting percentage of the year after hitting 32-of-58 (55.2), including a 10-for-21 showing from 3-point range. The percentage from long range marked Maine's 10th double-digit three-point effort of the season.

The Black Bears took the lead early and never looked back, opening the game with a 9-0 run. A 5-0 run from Sutton, capped on her first of two triples, lifted Maine's lead to double-digits just 7:21 into the first period.

Maine remained hot in the second period, going 8-of-12 over the quarter to further distance itself from the Wildcats. Maine, leading by 12, broke out with a 11-4 run to take its largest lead of the half. Layups by Kirsten Johnson, Sutton and Millan began a 6-0 sprint before Brosseau's triple capped the sprint, giving Maine a 31-12 lead with 4:30 left in the half. The Black Bears, who held a 20-8 points in the paint advantage over the opening 20-minutes, entered the break with a 37-21 advantage.

New Hampshire came out of the half with a 7-4 run to cut the lead to 13 but Maine was quick to answer. Brosseau knocked down threes on either side of an 8-2 Maine run, once again running the lead out to 19.

Leading by 14 late in the third period, Maine put together a 7-0 run to take a 21-point lead thanks in part to five-straight points from Millan.

Five-points from Wadling began another 7-0 Maine run late in the fourth. Kelly Fogarty capped the sprint with Maine's 10th triple of the night, this one to give the Black Bears their largest lead of the night at 75-44.

Maine cruised the rest of the way to capture a 77-46 victory over visiting New Hampshire.

The Black Bears will go for their ninth win in a row on Sunday, Feb. 11 when they travel to take on Stony Brook at 2 p.m.

-UMaine-