Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (2-3) makes its return to the Golf Coast Showcase after last competing in the tournament in 2015. The Black Bears will open this year's Showcase on Friday, Nov. 29 against Arizona State (3-1) at 5 p.m. at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida.
In their last trip to the Showcase in 2015, the Black Bears went 2-1, picking up wins over Missouri State (69-65) and LSU (52-41). After taking on Arizona State in round one of this year's Showcase, Maine will continue play on Saturday against either Drake or Purdue before closing the action on Sunday with four possible opponents (Auburn, Dayton, Gonzaga, Middle Tennessee). Time for Maine's contests on Saturday and Sunday will be determined following Friday's action.
All games at the Gulf Coast Showcase will be video streamed on
FloHoops. Maine's contests will also be broadcast live via radio across the state on the Black Bears Sports Network and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com.
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OVERVIEW:
LAST TIME OUT:
Portland, Maine --
Maeve Carroll and
Blanca Millan each tallied double-doubles to help guide the Black Bears to a 46-41 win over Navy at the Portland Expo on Sunday afternoon.
Carroll registered her first career double-double with 10 points and a career best 14 boards. Millan bested 20 points for the 30th time in her career, notching her fourth career double-double with 25 points while matching a career-high with 11 rebounds. Millan registered 20 of her 25 points in the first half, scoring 20 of Maine's 27 first half points.
The Black Bears, who have now won each of their last five games in Portland, snapped their three-game losing skid while moving their record to 2-3. Navy, coming off a win at Vermont, fell to 2-3 on the year.
Maine was efficient from inside, going 12-of-22 from inside the arc, but struggled from 3-point range after shooting 5-for-34 from downtown. The Black Bears assisted on 13 of their 17 field goals, led by a season-high six assists from
Dor Saar.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears snapped a three-game losing skid by earning a 46-41 victory over Navy in a home game played at the Portland Exposition Center in Portland, Maine. The win moved Maine to 5-0 in its last five trips to Portland and also improved Maine's record to 32-3 under Coach Vachon when holding a team to 50 points or fewer. Maine continues its challenging non-conference slate against Arizona State, which returns 10 letterwinners from last year's Sweet 16 team.
The Black Bears continue to limit their mistakes, checking in first in the America East in fewest turnovers (66) and second in the conference at 13.2 turnovers per game. Offensively, Maine is averaging 53.6 points per game led by Preseason All-Conference selection
Blanca Millan. Millan, who ranks eighth on Maine's all-time scoring list (1,545) ranks second in the America East, and 19th nationally, at 21.4 points per game. Millan has done damage from the free throw line, ranking 12th best in the nation with 33 makes from the line and first in the America East with an 84.6% mark from the free throw stripe. Defensively, Millan checks in second-best among America East leaders in steals per game (2.4) and third with 7.2 rebounds per game.
Dor Saar leads the offense at 3.6 assists per game and has been a threat from outside, hitting 2.0 triples per game which seeds her fifth best in the America East from long-range.
Maeve Carroll, who has turned in a pair of double-digit rebounding efforts this season, checks in with 6.2 points per game and 7.0 rebounds, seventh best in the America East, to go along with a team-high 48.3% mark from the floor.
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A LOOK AT ARIZONA STATE:
The Sun Devils, predicted to finish fifth in the Pac-12 Preseason Coaches Poll, began the season ranked in the top-20 in both the USA Today Poll and the AP Top 25 poll. Currently, the Sun Devils have dropped out of both polls but are still receiving votes in each after starting the season 3-1 with their lone loss coming at Minnesota. Arizona State has been a force on the boards in the early going, checking in third in the nation with 20.3 offensive rebounds per game, averaging 45.5 total boards per contest, and an impressive +15.0 rebounding margin - good for 11th nationally. Ja'Tavia Tapley leads the way for the Sun Devils, leading the team in scoring (17.0) and rebounding (7.5) with an impressive 66.7% mark from the floor, good for 15th best in the nation, and a 90.9% showing from the free throw stripe to lead the Pac-12. Arizona State features a balanced scoring attack, with seven players averaging 6.0 or more points per game. The Sun Devils' three wins have come by an average of 29.3 points as they enter averaging 75.5 points per game and limiting opponents to 57.0 points, for a scoring differential of +18.5. Defensively, ASU is forcing 21.5 turnovers per game while averaging 12.5 steals per contest.
SERIES WITH ARIZONA STATE:
Maine and Arizona State will meet for the first time in history ... The two were both members of the Austin, Texas region of the 2018 NCAA Tournament ... Maine is 1-4 all-time against the Pac-12 with its lone win coming in 1999 when the No. 10 Black Bears upset No. 7 Stanford, 60-58, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Maine is 0-2 against USC and 0-2 against Washington.
SERIES WITH DRAKE:
Maine is 2-0 all-time against Drake ... The teams last met in 2003, a 63-62 overtime road win by the Black Bears ... Maine won the first meeting between the two teams, 84-72, back on Dec. 8, 1990 ... Drake enters the Showcase with five players averaging double-figures, led by Sara Rhine at 20.4 ppg ... Becca Hittner is adding 15.4 ppg and a team-best 7.6 boards ... Drake is tied for 22nd in the nation in scoring (82.2 ppg) and check in fifth best at 22.4 assists.
SERIES WITH PURDUE:
The Black Bears are 1-1 all-time against Purdue ... Each team has won the home meeting in the series ... Maine defeated Purdue, 67-47, at the Cross Insurance Center on Nov. 11, 2016 in the 2016 season opener ... The Black Bears dropped a 56-33 decision at Purdue on Dec. 21, 2015 ... The Boilermakers are coached by Sharon Versyp who was the head coach at Maine from 2000-2005 where she led the Black Bears to the NCAA Tournament in 2004 ... Purdue enters the Showcase ranked 30th in the nation in scoring defense (52.8), allowing a low 31.3% from the field (21st best) ... Purdue is led by Dominique Oden (14.5 ppg) and Ae'Rianna Harris (12.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg).
-UMaine-
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