Orono, Maine -- Maine, entering its America East opening series tied for the nation's fourth longest active win streak (13), travels to meet Hartford a two-game set on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Both games are set to tip-off at 1 p.m. The Black Bears have won three-straight America East openers, and four of its last five, and enter the series riding a four-game win streak against the Hawks. Each game will be web streamed via
ESPN3/+ and also can be heard on the Black Bears Sports Network at 96.1 WGUY-FM and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com.
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OVERVIEW:
CONFERENCE TIDBITS
- Over the past three seasons, Maine has gone 40-8 in America East play.
- Maine, which has captured two titles in the past five seasons, has earned five consecutive appearances in the America East title game.
- Maine has registered double-digit conference win totals in six of its last seven seasons.
LAST TIME OUT:
Blanca Millan's driving bucket with 17-seconds remaining in regulation proved to be the difference as the Black Bears improved to 3-0 with a 63-62 victory at Northeastern on Sunday afternoon.
Millan guided the Black Bears in the win, finishing with a game-high 34 points to go along with nine rebounds, three steals, and a pair of blocks. Millan, who bested 30 points for the second time this season and the fifth time in her career, completed the effort 14-of-22 from the field with a trio of triples.
Dor Saar chipped in eight points and a season-high six assists while
Fanny Wadling, seeing her first game-action since March 23, 2019, registered two points, five rebounds, three assists, and a pair of blocks.
Maine forced Northeastern into 20 turnovers and controlled action down low, outscoring the Huskies by a 34-14 advantage in the paint. The Black Bears assisted on 15 of their 26 field goals, finished at 46 percent from the floor overall.
Maine, which led by as many as 10 points in the contest, held Northeastern scoreless over the final 2:15, including an 0-for-3 effort in the game's final nine seconds.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine, off to its best start since 2013, finished its brief non-conference slate at 3-0 with road wins over Providence, Rhode Island, and Northeastern. The Black Bears, selected as the America East preseason favorite in the annual coaches poll, now turn their sights towards league play where they've posted double-digit conference victory totals in each of the past three seasons, and six of the last seven. Maine is 40-8 in league play over the past three seasons with a pair of America East Championships and fifth-straight America East title game appearances.
Blanca Millan, who returned this season after suffering a season-ending injury in the sixth game of the 2019-20 season, currently ranks 10th in the nation in scoring at 25.3 points per game. Millan, who has bested 30 points in two of Maine's first three outings, enters the Hartford series just 49 points away from moving into seventh on Maine's all-time scoring list. The fifth-year guard has also been impressive in the early going on the boards, ranking sixth in the nation at 9.0 defensive rebounds per game and first in the America East at 10.0 total rebounds per game.
Dor Saar, the America East active leader in assists (425), ranks second among America East leaders at 4.7 assists per game and continues to be a threat from outside, ranking second in the league in 3-point field goals per game (2.7) and 3-point field goal percentage (40.0). Saar is averaging 10.0 points per game through three outings and ranks fourth on Maine's all-time assists list, 11 behind Kim Corbitt for third all-time (436).
Anne Simon, the reigning America East Rookie of the Year, posted double-digits in both of her outings last year against Hartford and enters action averaging 10.3 points per game, rounding out Maine's three double-figure scorers. The Black Bears have also added fifth-year forward
Fanny Wadling back into their rotation. Wadling, who missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury, led the America East in rebounding (9.0) in 2018-19.
Through three games, Maine's defense ranks 16th in the country allowing 52.3 points per game, including holding two of its first three opponents under 50 points. The Black Bears are forcing 17.0 turnovers per game and rank first in the America East in fewest turnovers, giving it away just 14.0 times. The Black Bears lead the America East in scoring (62.0) and scoring defense (52.3).
A LOOK AT HARTFORD:
The Haws will be playing their first games of the 2020-21 season when they welcome Maine to Chase Arena. A year ago, in head coach Morgan Valley's first season in Hartford, the Hawks finished 1-28 overall with their lone win coming in the final regular season game of the season against top-seeded Stony Brook. Hartford welcomes back its top two scorers, and four of its top five, from a year ago in senior Jada Lucas and junior Jordan McLemore. In 2019-20, Lucas led the Hawks at 12.9 points per game to go along with 3.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. McLemore added 9.1 points and a team-high 3.3 assists. Chaelette Leurs (6.6 ppg) and Sierra Smith (5.4) also return. Smith paced Hartford's rebounding attack at 7.1 boards per contest in 2019-20.
SERIES WITH HARTFORD:
Maine and Hartford will meet for the 81st and 82nd time in history with the Black Bears holding a 51-29 advantage in the all-time series. Maine is 22-14 on the road against the Hawks and have won in eight of its last nine trips to Hartford. Maine defeated Hartford, 69-52, in last year's contest at Chase Arena on Feb. 1, 2020. In that meeting, Maine featured four double-digit scorers led by
Anne Simon's game-high 18 points and five rebounds.
Maeve Carroll and
Maddy McVicar added 12 points while
Dor Saar chipped in 11 points, four rebounds, and seven assists. The Black Bears went 26-of-57 from the floor, assisting on 16 of the 26 field goals, while adding nine triples. Maine, which never trailed in the contest, forced 18 Hartford turnovers in the win. Maine has won each of its last eight meetings at home with Hartford, including an 87-73 win on Jan. 2 of last year. Maine has won 11 of the last 12 meetings between the two teams. The teams first met in 1985, a 71-53 victory by the Black Bears.
Blanca Millan enters the series averaging 17.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in eight career games against Hartford. Millan has registered double-figure scoring efforts in seven of her eight games against the Hawks.
Dor Saar is adding 10.4 points and 5.4 assists in the series.
13-GAME WIN STREAK:
Maine closed the 2019-20 season riding a 10-game win streak. Currently, Maine's 13-game win streak ranks tied for the fourth (UConn) longest active win streak in the nation. Oregon leads the nation (+25), followed by Princeton (+22) and Marist (+16).
MILLAN CLIMBING THE ALL-TIME CHARTS
Blanca Millan, who in 2018-19 became just the fourth player in history to earn both the America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors, continues to climb the all-time charts both at Maine and in the America East record books.
Millan currently ranks 8th on Maine's all-time scoring list with 1,623 points. She stands 48 points behind
Sigi Koizar (1,671) for 7th all-time.
Millan currently ranks 30th on the America East all-time scoring list. Millan stands four points behind Carlee Cassidy (2006-10 - UMBC - 1,627) for 29th, 19 points behind Ebone Henry (2009-13 - UAlbany - 1,642) for 28th, 25 points behind Alison Dixon (1997-01 - Boston Univ. - 1,648) for 27th, and 52 points behind Cindy Johnson (1997-01 - Delaware - 1,675) for 26th.
Defensively, Millan ranks fifth on Maine's all-time steals list (273), six behind Coach Vachon (279) for fourth all-time.
Millan currently ranks fourth on Maine's career 3-point list (187). Millan now trails Saar (198) and Ashley Underwood (210) for third and second all-time, respectively.
On Dec. 4, 2018, Millan became the 7th fastest in Black Bear history to eclipse the 1,000-point mark, and just the third-ever to do it in her third season.
Millan's 14.9 points per game average currently ranks 7th all-time at Maine.
SAAR - LEGENDARY FROM DOWNTOWN
Dor Saar currently ranks third on Maine's all-time 3-point field goals made list (198). Saar is just 12 triples away from tying Ashley Underwood (210) for second all-time in Maine history. With two triples, Saar would become just the third Black Bear in the history of the program to eclipse the 200 three point field goals made plateau.
600 BOARDS
Fanny Wadling, who missed the entire 2019-20 season due to injury, returned to action on Dec. 20 at Northeastern for the first time since March, 23, 2019. Wadling is looking to become just the 17th Black Bear in history to record 600 career rebounds. Wadling is 87 career rebounds away from 600.
DOR DISTRIBUTING
Dor Saar is currently the America East active leader in assists (425). Saar has amassed five or more assists 40 times and double-figure assist totals four times in her career. With four assists at Providence (12/10/20), Saar surpassed Cathy Iaconeta to move into fourth on Maine's all-time assists list. Saar now stands just 11 assists behind Kim Corbitt (436) for third all-time. Saar matched Maine's single-game assists record (14) in her outing with Husson. Saar is Maine's all-time leader with a 1.87 assist to turnover ratio over her time with the Black Bears. Saar stands 133 assists shy of moving into the top-5 on the America East career assists list.
-UMaine-
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