VESTAL, N.Y. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (22-7, 15-1) clinched its fourth America East Regular Season Championship in the past five seasons while also earning the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East Playoffs after defeating Binghamton (12-17, 7-9), 67-60 on Saturday afternoon.

Maine will open the America East Playoffs on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. when it hosts New Hampshire at the Cross Insurance Center. Tickets for Wednesday's quarterfinal contest are on sale now and can be purchased at GoBlackBears.com/tickets, by phone at 207.581.BEAR or in-person at the Alfond Arena box office.

Four Black Bears finished with double-digit scoring efforts. Maine, which picked up its 11th win in a row, was led by Blanca Millan who poured in 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting, including a trio of 3-point field goals. Fanny Wadling aided the attack with her fifth career double-double after tallying 11 points and 12 boards with a game-high five assists. Wadling has now recorded double-digit rebounding efforts in four of her last five outings.

Tanesha Sutton finished in double-figures for the fifth consecutive game with 11 points and nine rebounds while Dor Saar added 11 points.

Maine turned in its best effort from the free throw line of the year, tallying a season-high 17 makes from the charity stripe before finishing 17-of-24 overall. The Black Bears, who never trailed in the game, tallied 11 steals while turning 17 Binghamton mishaps into 26 points. Maine tallied 40 rebounds in the victory, including 15 on the offensive end to lead to a 21-12 advantage in points in the paint.

After building a three-point lead with three minutes left in the first, the Black Bears were able to put together a 5-0 run. A free throw from Maddy McVicar and two more from Millan gave the Black Bears an eight point advantage late in the first.

Maine's lead sunk to five early in the second before the Black Bears again rallied, turning strong defensive efforts into points on the other end. Millan swiped a steal before racing down the floor for a bucket. On the ensuing possession, it was McVicar with the steal and bucket as the 8-0 run gave Maine its largest lead of the first half, 30-17.

A 9-4 run from Binghamton to close the second quarter sent the game to the break with Maine on top, 34-26.

Much like in the first meeting between Maine and Binghamton, the Black Bears separated themselves with a strong third quarter. Maine outscored Binghamton 23-12 in the third period, sparked by eight points in the period from Millan.

Millan began the half by knocking down back-to-back triples in the first minute of the period, extending Maine's lead out to 14.

The Black Bears distanced themselves with a 13-3 run over a span of five minutes in the third. Maine ended the run with eight unanswered points as back-to-back treys from Saar gave the Black Bears their largest lead of the contest, 55-34, with just over two minutes remaining in the period.

Binghamton would not go quietly as it outscored the Black Bears 22-10 in the final quarter. A 12-0 run by the Bearcats chipped the deficit to 11. Binghamton kept charging as it was able to get the lead to seven but Maine hung on, picking up its 10th road victory of the year, 67-60.

-UMaine-