ORONO, Maine -- No. 2 Maine, looking for its third-consecutive America East title, enters the playoffs as a top-two seed for the fifth time in the last six years and will host No. 7 Vermont on Wednesday, March 4 at 7 p.m. in the America East quarterfinals. The Black Bears have won five consecutive quarterfinal games and appeared in each of the last four titles games. Maine will meet Vermont in postseason play for the first time since a 2007 quarterfinal meeting, a 70-57 victory by the Catamounts. Maine's last postseason win over Vermont came in the America East semifinal round in 1999.
Tickets are still available for Wednesday's game and may be purchased at
TicketMaster.com or by visiting the Cross Insurance Center box office.
For those unable to make it to Wednesday's contest, the game will be streamed at
ESPN+ and also broadcast via radio on 94.1 WGUY-FM and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com.
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TALE OF THE TAPE:
| Maine |
Category |
Vermont |
| 16-14, 12-4 |
Record |
12-17, 6-10 |
| 61.7 |
Points Per Game |
60.1 |
| 61.6 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
63.2 |
| +0.1 |
Scoring Margin |
-3.1 |
| 40.8 |
Field Goal Percentage |
40.0 |
| 32.9 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
31.3 |
| 75.4 |
Free Throw Percentage |
73.3 |
| 30.8 |
Rebound Per Game |
33.9 |
| -6.3 |
Rebound Margin |
-5.2 |
| 13.7 |
Assists Per Game |
12.4 |
| 12.2 |
Turnover Per Game |
13.3 |
| 7.1 |
Steals Per Game |
5.1 |
| 1.3 |
Blocks Per Game |
4.2 |
OVERVIEW:
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine carries the nation's 14th-longest active win streak (8) into postseason play. The Black Bears, winners of each of their last four home contests, enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2016 after holding the honor of the league's No. 1 seed in each of its last two postseason performances.
Maine featured a balanced scoring attack as the only team in the America East with three players ranked in the top-12 among league scoring leaders.
Anne Simon, a seven-time America East Rookie of the Week, leads the Black Bears in scoring, ranking first among league rookies and ninth overall at 12.7 points per game. Simon, who has recorded double-figures in each of her last eight outings, ranks five in conference-only scoring, recording 15.7 points in league play. Simon has tallied double-doubles in two of her last three outings and has notched double-figure scoring totals in 13 of her 15 outings in league play.
Maeve Carroll has registered nine double-doubles on the season, eight of which coming against league competition, and enters play ranked in the top-13 among league leaders in points (12.0), rebounds (8.0) and assists (2.5). Carroll, the league-leader in field goal percentage (50.3), has tallied double-digit scoring efforts in seven of her last eight outings and checks in as the league-leader in rebounding in conference games, averaging nearly a double-double in league play at 15.3 points and 9.0 rebounds.
Dor Saar has not checked out of a game since Jan. 2, playing every minute in each of Maine's last 15 contests. Saar, with five or more assists in each of her last eight outings, ranks second in the league at 4.9 assists per game. Saar, who is fifth on Maine's all-time assists list (401), is averaging 5.6 assists in league play and ranks 12th overall in scoring at 12.1 points per game.
Kelly Fogarty checks in third among league-leaders in 3-point field goal percentage (35.4) and sixth in 3-point field goals made per game (2.1), with two or more triples made in 17 games this season.
Maddy McVicar ranks 20th in scoring at 9.8 points per game and eighth at 1.8 triples made per game.
Maine, which ranks third overall among league leaders in scoring (61.7), lead the conference in league-only scoring, averaging 67.4 points per game against league competition. The Black Bears are tops in the league in field goal percentage (40.8) and free throw shooting (75.4) and lead the league in 3-point field goals made per game (7.6). Maine averages a league-low 13.2 turnovers per game and a league-high 13.7 assists. Â
A LOOK AT VERMONT:
The Catamounts, 3-11 on the road this season, enter postseason play on a four-game losing skid after dropping its regular season finale, 62-58, against UMass Lowell. Hanna Crymble leads the Catamounts, checking in in the top-3 in points per game (3rd-16.6), rebounding (2nd-8.0) and blocks (1st-1.7). Josie Larkins ranks seventh in scoring at 13.0 points per game, checking in fifth-best in the league in 3-point percentage (33.7) and third in 3-point field goals per game (2.3). Freshman Emma Utterback is adding 11.1 points per game and a team-high 3.2 assists, seventh best among league leaders. Vermont checks in fourth in the league in scoring (60.1) and seventh in scoring defense, allowing 63.2 points per game. Vermont enters with the league's worst 3-point defense, allowing opponents to hit at a 34.1 percent clip. Led by Crymble's efforts, Vermont leads the America East at 4.2 blocks per game.
SERIES WITH VERMONT:
Maine has competed against Vermont more than any of its other opponents as this will mark the 97th all-time meeting between the two teams. The Black Bears currently hold a 62-34 advantage in the all-time series, having won 14 of the last 15 meetings and seven in a row. Since 1985, Maine is 24-11 all-time at home against the Catamounts, winning 10-straight on its home court in the series. Maine swept both regular season meetings this season, winning on the road 65-47 before capturing a 70-59 victory at home.
Maeve Carroll registered double-doubles in each of the two meetings this season.
POSTSEASON SERIES VS. VERMONT:
Maine enters action 6-4 all-time against Vermont in postseason play. The two teams will be meeting in postseason action for the first time since the Catamounts scored a 70-57 victory in quarterfinal play in 2007. Maine's last postseason win over Vermont came in 1999, a 66-61 semifinal win. Maine is 0-1 in quarterfinal play against Vermont.
MAINE IN THE AMERICA EAST PLAYOFFS:
The Black Bears are 46-24 all-time in conference postseason play and enter riding a six-game, conference postseason win streak after capturing each of the last two America East titles. Maine, entering the tournament as the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2016, is 11-5 all-time as the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. Maine is 3-0 when playing the No. 7 seed in the tournament. Maine, who has reached double-digit league wins for the third-straight year, and its six in its last seven years, will be the higher seed in its quarterfinal match-up for the seventh consecutive season.
-UMaine-
