Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team heads out for its first conference road game of the season when it travels to meet Vermont on Wednesday evening. Maine, 2-0 in the league for the first time since 2016, will look to start league play 3-0 for the first time since 2004. Through their first two conference games, the Black Bears are averaging 75.5 points per game and currently hold a +30.5 margin of victory.
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Tale of the Tape
| Maine |
Category |
Vermont |
| 9-6/2-0 |
Record/Conference |
5-9/1-1 |
| 65.7 |
Points Per Game |
52.7 |
| 63.6 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
60.2 |
| +2.1 |
Scoring Margin |
-7.5 |
| 42.1 |
Field Goal Percentage |
36.8 |
| 32.2 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
25.2 |
| 67.5 |
Free Throw Percentage |
66.7 |
| 31.5 |
Rebounds Per Game |
34.7 |
| -5.0 |
Rebound Margin |
-7.1 |
| 15.6 |
Assists Per Game |
9.8 |
| 12.1 |
Turnovers Per Game |
15.4 |
| 2.5 |
Blocks Per Game |
6.1 |
| 8.5 |
Steals Per Game |
4.2 |
LAST TIME OUT:
Parise Rossignol tallied 16 of her game-high 19 points in the first half as the Black Bears knocked down 15 threes in an 84-44 rout of visiting UMBC on Saturday afternoon at the Cross Insurance Center. The win moves Maine to 2-0 in America East play for the first time since 2016.
Maine's 40 point victory was its largest margin of victory since a 96-54 win over Robert Morris in 2002. The point differential was also Maine's largest over a conference foe since it defeated Drexel by 42 in 1997.
The Black Bears recorded their sixth double-digit three-point total of the year as the 15 makes from long range were their most since a record-setting 16 makes on Dec. 5, 2017. Maine's 84 points marked its highest scoring output in conference play since an 84-point showing back on Jan. 27, 2017 against UAlbany.
Rossignol, who has now recorded double-figures in seven of her last 10 outings, finished the afternoon 7-for-9 from the floor, including a 5-for-6 showing from beyond the arc.
Kelly Fogarty chipped in a season-high 14 points, with four treys, off the bench while
Fanny Wadling added nine points and six points.
Doga Alper also provided key production off the bench, posting career-highs in points (8) and rebounds (6).
The Black Bears posted their highest field goal shooting performance (60.0) of the year and best mark since Nov. 22, 2015 at North Dakota State (66.7).
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears are 2-0 in the New Year following conference opening victories over New Hampshire and UMBC. Maine, averaging 75.5 points per game in league action, has been assisted on the offensive end by reigning America East Player of the Week,
Parise Rossignol, who is averaging 18.5 points while shooting 78.9-percent against league foes.
Tanesha Sutton has also been impressive in the early league schedule, checking in at 11.5 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Overall, the Black Bears are led by preseason All-Conference selection
Blanca Millan who currently stands atop the league rankings at 17.3 points per game. This season, Millan has posted 12 double-digit scoring marks, including in four of her last five. With six points against UMBC, Millan moved into 17th on Maine's all-time scoring list. She currently stands just one point behind Missy Traversi for 16th all-time (1,130). On the offensive end, Millan checks in sixth best among league leaders in field goal percentage (42.0) and three-point field goals per game (2.1). Defensively, Millan, who ranks seventh on Maine's all-time steals list (202), currently leads the America East with 2.8 steals per game.
Tanesha Sutton, who ranks second in the America East at 7.4 rebounds per game, has tallied double-digits in four of her last five outings and currently ranks seventh in the league at 13.6 points per game. With four boards against UMBC, Sutton now stands just 29 rebounds behind Ashleigh Roberts for 20th on Maine's all-time list.
Parise Rossignol, the reigning America East Player of the Week, ranks 16th best in the America East at 10.7 points per game. Rossignol, averaging 18.5 points in league play, has begun conference action with double-figures in each of her first two games.
The Black Bears continue to be one of the best shooting teams in the conference. Maine currently ranks second in the league in field goal percentage (42.1), second in three-point field goal percentage (32.2) and first in three-point makes per game (8.3). Overall, the Black Bears are second best in scoring offense at 65.7 points per game.
Maine checks in eighth in the nation, and tops in the league, with just 12.1 turnovers per game. The Black Bears are second-best among conference leaders in assists per game (15.6) and rank 15th in the nation with a 1.29 assist to turnover ratio.
A LOOK AT VERMONT:
The Catamounts enter play 1-1 in league action following a 52-39 victory over UAlbany on Saturday. However, Vermont is just 1-5 in its last six. The Catamounts have struggled on the offensive end, ranking 335 nationally out of 349 teams in scoring offense (52.7) under first-year head coach, Alisa Kresge. Defensively, the Catamounts check in third among America East leaders, allowing 60.2 points per game. Vermont ranks seventh in the nation at 6.1 blocks per game.
Individually, Vermont is led by Hanna Crymble who recently tallied her 1,000th career point. Crymble ranks fourth in the league at 15.9 points per game and second-best with a 50.6 mark from the floor. Her 86.8-percent showing from the free throw line is 41st nationally and second best in the America East. Crymble ranks seventh in the America East with 5.8 rebounds per game. Candice Wright, averaging 8.4 points per game, has been impressive in the paint defensively for Vermont. Wright ranks fourth in the nation (3.36) in blocks per game and third with a total of 47 blocks.
SERIES WITH VERMONT:
Maine has competed against Vermont more than any of its other opponents as this will mark the 93rd all-time meeting between the two teams. The Black Bears currently hold a 58-34 advantage in the all-time series, having won 10 of the last 11 meetings. Since 1985, Maine is 16-14 all-time in Burlington. Millan has tallied 20+ points in each of her last two outings against the Catamounts while
Tanesha Sutton has posted three double-figure scoring marks in the series, including a pair of double-doubles. Millan (14.8) and Sutton (10.5) are each averaging double-digit scoring efforts against the Catamounts. Maine swept its series with Vermont a year ago, winning a most recent meeting 79-47 in Burlington after defeating the Catamounts, 64-55, in Bangor.
SEASON NOTES:
WHAT A START TO LEAGUE PLAY:
Maine has started conference play with a bang. The Black Bears are 2-0 in the league for the first-time since 2016. Maine is averaging 75.5 points per game against league foes while shooting 54.0-percent from the floor and 48.8-percent from three-point range. Maine is also dominating the boards, outrebounding league opponents by a +14.0 margin. Defensively, Maine is holding league opponents to a 45.0 points per game average and has a +30.5 margin. In its second conference game, Maine routed UMBC, 84-44. The 40-point margin of victory marked Maine's largest since 2002 (96-54 vs. Robert Morris) and largest over a conference foe since 1997 (Drexel - 42).
ROSSIGNOL EARNS AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK (1/7):
Parise Rossignol was named the America East Player of the Week on Monday, Jan. 7. Rossignol, who received her first-ever Player of the Week honor, averaged 18.5 points in guiding the Black Bears to conference victories over New Hampshire and UMBC. The senior guard shot an impressive 78.9-percent (15-of-19) from the floor, including a 7-for-10 showing from three-point range, over the past week. In Maine's conference opening 67-46 victory over New Hampshire, Rossignol led Maine with an 18 point effort, going 8-for-9 from the floor. Rossignol followed up the effort with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting, in an 84-44 win over UMBC. Rossignol's five three-point field goals against the Retrievers matched her career-high while her 19 points matched the highest scoring output of her career against a league opponent. Rossignol has now recorded double-digit scoring efforts in seven of her last 10 outings.
TURNOVER EFFICIENCY:
Maine has been extremely impressive with its ball control this season. The Black Bears currently rank eigth in the nation, averaging just 12.1 turnovers per game as a team. Maine's 1.29 assist-turnover ratio is fifteenth best among the nation's leaders. In seven of its 15 games, Maine has turned the ball over just 11 times or fewer, with four of those performances ending with single-digit turnover totals.
A SCORING EFFORT FOR THE RECORD BOOKS:
On Dec. 8, 2018, the Black Bears defeated Brown by a 102-96 final in overtime at the Cross Insurance Center. That win marked the highest combined point total for a Black Bear women's basketball game in history (198). It also marked the second time an
Amy Vachon coached team hit the century mark, and the first 100 point effort for Maine against a Division I team since a 110 point effort in 1997 against Drexel.
MILLAN QUICK TO 1,000:
On a three-point field goal in the first quarter at Harvard (12/4),
Blanca Millan became the 20th Black Bear in history to reach 1,000 career points. Millan did so in her 75th career game, making her the seventh fastest in UMaine history to eclipse the mark. With six points against UMBC, Millan moved into 17th on Maine's all-time scoring list. She currently stands just two points away from passing Missy Traversi for 16th all-time (1,130) and 37 points away from surpassing Bracey Barker for 15th (1,166).
MILLAN TALLIES 30, ASSISTED BY SAAR:
Blanca Millan poured in a career-best 36 points in Maine's win over Brown. The total marked the first-time a Maine player had bested 30 points in a game since
Sigi Koizar tallied 30 on Feb. 20, 2016. In that same game,
Dor Saar notched a career-high 11 assists - the first time a Black Bear had bested 10 assist sin a game since Koizar's 10 against North Dakota State on Nov. 22, 2015.
RECORD NIGHT IN NORTH CAROLINA:
The Black Bears matched an all-time, single-game record for three-point field goals with 16 makes in their win at North Carolina.
STORMING BACK TO WIN THE CLASSIC:
In both of its games at the Navy Classic (vs. NC A&T and vs. Penn), Maine trailed both at the half and with five-minutes to go. However, Maine was able to comeback in both games, winning each and capturing the Navy Classic title.
MILLAN DOUBLE-FIGURE STREAK:
After starting the season with double-figures in each of Maine's first five games,
Blanca Millan has tallied double-digits in 12 of Maine's first 15, including back-to-back 20+ point efforts against Bryant (23) and #20 Duke (25), a 21 point showing at North Carolina and 26 points at Harvard. Millan's season-best effort came in a career-high 36 point showing against Brown. Dating back to last season, Millan has posted double-digit scoring totals in 42 of her last 46. In all, Millan has finished in double-digits in 59 of her 82 career contests.
MILLAN CLIMBING THE ALL-TIME STEALS CHART:
Millan has tallied 200 steals over her time at UMaine. Her five steals against Brown moved her ahead of Melissa Heon and into seventh all-time at Maine. Millan currently stands 22 steals away from sixth all-time at Maine - a mark held by Cathy Iaconeta (224).
SUTTON ON THE BOARDS:
Tanesha Sutton currently leads Maine, and ranks second in the conference, at 7.4 rebounds per game. On Dec. 30 against Chattanooga, Sutton tallied her eighth career double-double, also tallying her 500th career rebound along the way. Taking a look at Maine's all-time rebounding standings, Sutton is 29 boards behind Ashleigh Roberts for 20th all-time (552).
DEFENSE = VICTORY:
Over the past two years, Maine is 26-1 when holding its opponent to 60 or fewer points. The Black Bears are 34-4 in the Vachon era when limiting teams to 60 or less. This season, Maine is holding league opponents to just 45.0 points per game.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Black Bears have been impressive at home as of late. Maine is 51-6 on its home court in its last 57 outings, including a 32-3 mark in America East play over the past 35 league contests. The home mark includes a 21-game win streak, including a 13-0 home record in 2015-16. Under Coach Vachon, the Black Bears are 23-3 at home.
ANNE SIMON SIGNS NLI:
On Nov. 21, it was announced that Anne Simon signed her National Letter of Intent to join the Black Bears for the 2019-20 season. Simon, a 5'8" guard from Sandweiler, Luxembourg, was a three-year captain for her Luxembourg National Team. Simon averaged 16.4 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists at the 2018 European Championship. During her career at the National Team level, Simon has averaged 10.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists.
TAPLEY COMPLETE JUNIORS PHASE OF MARINE OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL:
In the summer of 2018,
Sierra Tapley completed the Juniors phase of Marine Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Quantico Marine Base in Quantico, Va. Tapley reported to Quantico on May 26 and completed the course on July 6. Tapley plans to complete a six week course next summer known as "Seniors", often described to be more difficult than Juniors due to the advanced physical standards and increased responsibility. Upon completion, she will graduate OCS with a goal of completing a six month period of training known as "The Basic School".
INTERNATIONAL VIBE:
As has been the norm over the last few seasons for the Black Bears, Maine features numerous players from around the globe on its roster including players from Turkey (Alper); Israel (Saar); Spain (Millan), Germany (Barra), Slovakia (Bolozova) and Sweden (Wadling).
-UMaine-
