Orono, Maine -- Following the cancellation of its first two scheduled games of the 2020-21 season, and coming off a two-week pause of winter sports at UMaine, the Black Bears will begin their 57th season of competition when they travel to Providence for a Thursday matinée at Alumni Hall. Thursday's game can be video streamed via
FloHoops and will be broadcast live over the airwaves at 96.1 WGUY-FM in the Bangor/Orono area and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com.
The contest will be Maine's first game in 277 days after last competing on March 8 when it defeated UMass Lowell, 67-54, in the America East semifinal round. Maine is 33-23 all-time in season openers, 4-1 in its last five opening day match-ups.
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FULL SEASON PREVIEW VIDEO:
OVERVIEW:
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine returns over 80 percent of its scoring offense from a year ago and will welcome back the 2018-19 America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year,
Blanca Millan, after Millan was lost to a season-ending knee injury just six games into the 2019-20 season. Through those six games, Millan averaged an impressive 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 steals. In total, Maine will welcome back four starters from its 2019-20 season while also seeing the return of two key starters from the 2018-19 run in Millan and fifth-year forward
Fanny Wadling who, in her last season of competition, led the America East in rebounding (9.0 rpg). Senior point guard
Dor Saar, who ranked second in assists in the America East last year (4.9), comes off a season which saw her tally her highest scoring average (12.2). Saar earned a spot on the America East All-Conference second team after starting all 32 games and logging the sixth-most minutes per game (38.7) in the country. Saar also took another step forward from beyond the arc, checking in fourth best among America East leaders in 3-point percentage (34.9). Adding to its returning cast, Maine welcomes back the 2019-20 America East Rookie of the Year in
Anne Simon. Simon led the Black Bears in scoring, registering 13.0 points per game to go along with 5.2 rebounds. The seven-time league rookie of the week tallied 22 double-digit scoring performances while averaging 15.7 points and 6.5 rebounds in league play.
Maeve Carroll also returns after a career-year which saw her earn her first-ever all-conference accolade with a spot on the league's second team. Carroll, who led the America East with 11 double-doubles, set career-high marks in scoring (12.4), rebounds (8.2), and assists (2.8).
Kelly Fogarty took a leap forward in scoring production a year ago, averaging a career-best 7.1 points, and proved to be one of the best 3-point threats in the America East. Fogarty ranked third in the league in 3-point percentage (34.9) and fifth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.1), including hitting a school-record nine triples in a December contest against Husson University.
Maine, selected as the America East favorites in the Preseason Coaches Poll for the third consecutive season, ended its 2019-20 season riding a 10-game win streak; the eighth longest active win streak at the time. Ball control and 3-point shooting helped Maine to its success a year ago. The Black Bears ranked first in America East and 27th in the nation in turnovers per game (12.7) while leading America East in 3-point field goal attempts (757), 3-point field goals made (250), and 3-point field goals made per game (7.8).
A LOOK AT PROVIDENCE:
The Friars had their first scheduled game canceled (Nov. 25 at Northeastern) but since then, have gone 3-3 in their non-conference slate. Providence recently opened Big East play with an 89-40 loss at Marquette on Dec. 4 before bouncing back to score a 73-52 win at Butler the following day. Mary Baskerville leads the scoring attack for Providence as she enters play averaging 14.0 points per game and a team-best 7.2 rebounds. Kyra Spiwak, coming off a career-high 28 point outing against Butler, rounds out Providence's double-digit scorers, averaging 12.5 points through six games. Spiwak is Providence's 3-point threat, entering Thursday 14-for-38 (36.8) from downtown. As a unit, Providence enters averaging 61.2 points per game while ranking third in the Big East with a 33.7 percent mark from 3-point range. A year ago, Providence finished 13-19 with a 3-15 mark in Big East play. The Friars defeated Georgetown, 49-46, in the 2019-20 Big East First Round before falling to No. 1 DePaul, 97-59, in the quarterfinals.
SERIES WITH PROVIDENCE:
Maine and Providence will meet for the seventh time in history. Thursday's showdown will be the first meeting between the two programs since 1988. In the 1988 meeting, Providence defeated Maine, 85-69, in a contest played in Portland, Maine. The Black Bears are 0-3 all-time on the road against the Friars. Maine is 7-19 all-time against members of the Big East Conference. Maine's Big East wins have came against Villanova (1-2), Xavier (1-0) and UConn (5-8). Maine's last win over a Big East foe game on Nov. 24, 2001 when it defeated Xavier, 79-67. Maine last competed against a Big East member in 2015 when it was defeated at Villanova, 71-60, in the 2015 WNIT.
AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL:
For the third consecutive season, the Black Bears were selected first in the America East Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Maine also received three selections to the America East Preseason All-Conference team with
Maeve Carroll,
Blanca Millan, and
Dor Saar each earning a spot on the squad. The Black Bears received six of the league's 10 first place tallies, positioning them at the top of the league with 78 total votes. Maine, which earned three of the five Preseason All-Conference slots, is the first school since Boston University in 2010-11 to earn three or more selections to the Preseason All-Conference team.
COLLEGE INSIDER MID-MAJOR TOP 25:
The Black Bears are ranked No. 21 in the latest College Inside Mid-Major Top 25 poll, released on Dec. 8. Maine is the lone America East team represented in the top-25.
10 GAME WIN STREAK:
Maine closed the 2019-20 season riding a 10-game win streak. Currently, Maine's 10-game win streak ranks tied for the fifth longest active win streak in the nation.
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 1,547 points. She stands 124 points behind
Sigi Koizar (1,547) for 7th all-time.
Millan currently ranks 35th on the America East all-time scoring list. Millan stands four points behind Katasha Artis (Northeastern 1992-95 - 1,551) for 34th all-time, 10 points behind Andrea Holmes (Binghamton 2008-12 - 1,557) for 33rd and 13 behind Colleen McNamara (Delaware 1991-95 - 1,560) for 32nd.
Defensively, Millan ranks fifth on Maine's all-time steals list (266), 13 behind Coach Vachon (279) for fourth all-time.
Millan is currently fifth on Maine's career 3-point list (180), four behind
Sigi Koizar (184) for fourth all-time.
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 14.6 points per game average currently ranks 7th all-time at Maine.
SIMON SCORING IN LEAGUE PLAY
In 2019-20, America East Rookie of the Year
Anne Simon ranked fifth among America East leaders in conference-only scoring, averaging 15.7 points per game against league competition during the regular season. Simon registered double-digit scoring performances in 13 of Maine's 16 league games, besting 20 points on five occasions.
CARROLL'S SEEING DOUBLE:
Last season (2019-20),
Maeve Carroll led all America East players with 11 double-doubles, including 10 against league competition. In league play, Carroll averaged 15.3 points and league-best 9.0 rebounds against league competition. Carroll earned her first-ever all-conference honor in 2019-20 with a spot on the America East second team.
DOR DISTRIBUTING
Dor Saar is currently the America East active leader in assists (411). Saar, who has amassed five or more assists 39 times and double-figure assist totals four times in her career, ranks fifth on Maine's all-time assists list, just eight behind Cathy Iaconeta for fourth 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 147 assists shy of moving into the top-5 on the America East career assists list.
ENERGIZER SAAR
Dor Saar ranked second in the nation in 2019-20 with 1,238:53 minutes played. Saar led the America East and checked in sixth nationally at 38.72 minutes per game. In her career, Saar has produced 40 or more minutes in a single game 35 times, including 21 times last season. From Jan. 5 to March 8, 2020, Saar tallied 40+ minutes in 16-straight outings.
SIMON SAYS
Simon has recorded double-digits in 20 of her last 21 outings, including each of her last 10. A year ago, Simon led all America East Rookies in scoring (13.0).
THREE-POINT OFFENSE
In 2019-20, Maine led the America East in 3-point field goals attempted (757), 3-point field goals made (250), 3-point field goals made per game (7.8), and ranked second in the league in 3-point percentage (33.0). Maine ranked 22nd nationally in 3-point attempts, 25th in 3-point field goals made and 41st in 3-point field goals made per game.
WE MUST PROTECT THIS ROCK
Maine ranked 27th in the nation and first among America East leaders in turnovers per game, averaging just 12.7 giveaways per contest in 2019-20. Maine's 1.10 assist to turnover ratio ranked first in the league and 45th overall, thanks in big part to the play of point guard
Dor Saar. Saar is Maine's all-time leader in assist to turnover ratio (1.87). Five times last season Maine finished with single-digit turnover totals in a game.
FACTOR OF 60
Over the past seven seasons, Maine is 120-20 when holding its opponent to 60 or fewer points. The Black Bears are 62-10 in the Vachon era when limiting teams to 60 or less. Over the past seven seasons against league competition, Maine is 69-8 when holding America East opponents to 60 points or fewer.
60 OR MORE
On the flip-side, Maine is 123-25 over the past seven seasons when it scorers 60 or more. In league play, Maine has a 74-8 record when scoring 60 or more points.
DECIDED AT THE HALF
Maine is 35-3 when leading at halftime over the past two seasons and 63-9 when taking a lead into the half under Vachon.
LONG RANGE LEADS TO WINS
The Black Bears have broke the America East record for 3-point field goals made in a season in two of the past three seasons and, in 2019-20, put up the third most made triples (250) in league history. Over the last four years, Maine is 21-7 when it records double-digit 3-point makes in a single game. Maine now holds each of the top four spots for most 3-point field goals made in a season in America East history (273, 256, 250, 245).
RARE OPPORTUNITY
The Black Bears have the opportunity to become just the fifth team in America East history to complete a three-peat of the league championship after earning America East Tournament titles in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Maine earned four-straight titles during the 1994-98 seasons. Maine earned a return to the AE Title game in 2019-20, but was unable to compete in the game at Stony Brook when the game was canceled due to COVID-19.
BLACK BEARS IN THE PROS
Maine currently has six former players competing professionally for their respective teams overseas:
Kira Barra (Saarlouis/Dillingen - Germany);
Christiana Gerostergiou (Dafni Agioy - Greece);
Mikaela Gustafsson (Sodertalje); Isabel Hernandez (La Spezia - Italy);
Sigi Koizar (Flammes - France);
Maddy McVicar (Newcastle E. - United Kingdom); and
Milica Mitrovic (Radivoj Korac - Serbia).
CLASS OF 2021
On Nov. 12, Coach Vachon announced five newcomers to the 2021 signing class: Paula Gallego (6-1 - G - Barcelona, Spain); Sera Hodgson (5-11 - G - Rindge, N.H.); Pénélope Mathieu-Castillo (5-11 - F - Montreal, Que.); Adrianna Smith (5-10 - F - Reston, Va.); Bailey Wilborn (5-8 - G - Wichita, Ks.).
INTERNATIONAL VIBE
As has been the norm over the last few seasons for the Black Bears, Maine features numerous players from around the globe. This season, Maine features players from seven different countries including players from Luxembourg (Simon); Israel (Saar); Spain (Millan, Orois), Finland (Kahelin), Denmark (Bornemann), and Sweden (Wadling).
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