Orono, Maine -- After having their regularly scheduled home series for this weekend with Vermont postponed, after the Catamounts were deemed unable to participate due to COVID-19 protocols, the Black Bears hit the road once again to travel to UAlbany for a two-game weekend set on Jan. 16-17 with each game set to tip-off at noon. Maine, winners of its last three games after a most recent two-game sweep of NJIT, carries the league's top record into UAlbany where it has won in each of its last two trips to SEFCU Arena. Overall, Maine has won each of the last six meetings with the Great Danes.
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LAST TIME OUT:
Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball moved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in America East play after it completed a weekend sweep of the New Jersey Institute of Technology with a 74-51 victory on Sunday afternoon.
The Black Bears featured a balanced scoring attack with four players in double-figures, led by
Blanca Millan's game-high 21 point effort. Millan, who has finished in double-digits in each of Maine's first nine games this season, added seven rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists on the day. The 21 point day moved Millan into 20th on the America East all-time scoring list with 1,754 career points.
Maeve Carroll put together her best effort of the season with 14 points, six rebounds and eight assists.
Dor Saar, who also tallied eight assists, chipped in 13 points and five boards while
Kelly Fogarty rounded out the double-digit performances with 12 points on four triples.
Maine, which never trailed in the contest, led by as many as 23 after an impressive 23-of-57 shooting performance, a 10-of-19 showing from 3-point range, and a 14-for-20 mark at the free throw stripe. The Black Bears assisted on 19 of their 25 field goals while forcing 22 Highlander turnovers, a season-high for Maine's defense.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears, who have strung together three-straight wins, enter the weekend after completing a two-game sweep of America East newcomer NJIT in what was Maine's first home games since March 8, 2020. Maine's defense continues to be impressive as the Black Bears held each of their last six opponents to 60 points or fewer. Maine currently checks in 17th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 54.2 points per game while leading the America East in scoring at 67.4 points.
Blanca Millan, who recently earned her third America East Player of the Week award and the 11th of her season, has scored double-digits in each of Maine's nine games this season including a pair of 20+ scoring performance in the two games against NJIT. Millan, who ranks 15th in the country in scoring at 23.0 points per game, stands just 50 points shy of moving into fifth on Maine's all-time scoring list. Millan, who leads the America East in seven statistical categories, is boasting an impressive 51.0 percent mark from the floor, leads the league at 2.56 steals per game, and checks in second among America East leaders in rebounding (8.8). Millan has put together four double-doubles this season.
Dor Saar, currently just 26 points away from 1,000 in her career, leads the America East and ranks 14th nationally at 5.8 assists per game, including posting a season-best eight last time out against NJIT. On a team with many outside offensive threats, Saar has led the way for Maine from 3-point range. Saar currently leads the America East in 3-point field goals made (46), made per game (2.67), and 3-point field goal percentage (42.9). Saar stands just five three pointers behind Cindy Blodgett for first all-time at Maine for 3-point field goals made (219).
Anne Simon, coming off her best weekend of the season, ranks in the top 15 among America East leaders in scoring (12.1 - 9th), rebounding (6.2 - 10), and steals (1.3).
As a team, Maine leads the America East in field goal shooting (43.0) and 3-point percentage (33.9). The Black Bears continue to impress in ball control as they rank 20th nationally with just 12.7 turnovers per game and 32nd in the country with a +5.11 turnover margin.
A LOOK AT UALBANY:
The Great Danes will be playing their first game since Dec. 22 after having each of their five games either canceled or postponed. This series will be just the second conference series of the year for UAlbany, after splitting with UMBC on Dec. 19-20. The Great Danes feature two scorers who are averaging double-figures in sophomore Helene Haegerstrand (13.0) and junior Ellen Hahne (12.2). Hahne checks in as the Danes' leading rebounder at 7.2 per game. Senior Kyara Frames, an America East All-Conference honoree a year ago, is averaging 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and a team-high 2.0 assists.
The Great Danes have struggled to score the ball this year, checking in ninth among 10 teams at 54.0 points per game and rank last among the member schools in rebounding (31.8). UAlbany has struggled to defend the 3-point arch, ranking 10th in the league in 3-point defense (38.2).
SERIES WITH UALBANY:
Maine and UAlbany will square off for the 45th time in history. Maine holds a slim, 25-19, edge in the all-time series and has won six-straight against the Great Danes. The Black Bears swept UAlbany last year, winning at home by a score of 60-49 before defeating the Great Danes at SEFCU Arena, 65-44.
Maeve Carroll and
Dor Saar each tallied double-figure scoring efforts in both games last season, with Carroll posting a double-double of 21 points and 10 boards in the meeting at Maine. Saar averaged 16.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists in two games against UAlbany last season.
Millan is averaging 17.9 points per game in eight career performances against the Great Danes while Saar is scoring at a 12.3 clip with 5.6 assists in her seven appearances against UAlbany.
Overall: 25-19Â Â Â
Streak: Maine +6Â Â Â
Last 5 meetings: Maine 5-0
Record at UAlbany: 10-11 (Maine +2)
First Meeting: Maine 88, UAlb. 58 (1/12/01)Â Â Â
Last Meeting: Maine 65, UAlb. 44 (2/15/20)
Last Maine Win: Maine 65, UAlb. 44 (2/15/20)
Last Home Win: Maine 60, UAlb. 49 (1/11/20)
Last Road Win: Maine 65, UAlb. 44 (2/15/20)Â Â Â
Most points scored: 88 (2005)Â Â Â
Most points allowed: 84 (2006)
*UAlbany ranks last in the America East in 3-point defense (38.2), Maine first in 3-point shooting (33.9).
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 6th on Maine's all-time scoring list with 1,754 points. She stands 50 points behind Heather Ernest (1,804) for 5th all-time.
Millan currently ranks 20th on the America East all-time scoring list. Millan enters play this weekend eight points behind Imani Tate (1,762 - UAlbany 2015-17) for 19th; 18 points behind May Kotsopoulos (1,772 - Vermont 2006-10 for 18th; 26 points behind Heather Weindorfer (1,780 - Hartford 1993-97) for 17th; 48 points behind Chantell Alford (1,802 - Boston U. 2009-13) for 16th; 50 points behind Heather Ernest (1,804 - Maine 2000-04) for 15th; and 77 points behind Mykeema Ford (1,831 - Stony Brook 2003-07) for 14th.
Defensively, Millan ranks third on Maine's all-time steals list (289), 11 behind Liz Coffin (300) for second.
Millan currently ranks fourth on Maine's career 3-point list (198), 16 behind
Dor Saar for third all-time and 12 behind Ashley Underwood for second 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 15.3 points per game average currently ranks 7th all-time at Maine.
MILLAN EARNS 11th AMERICA EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Three times this season, and 11 times in her career,
Blanca Millan has been named the America East Player of the Week. Millan trails only Cindy Blodgett (17), and is tied with Jamie Cassidy (11), for most player of the week awards won during a career at Maine.
DOR IS SO GRACIOUS
Dor Saar is currently the America East active leader in assists (463) and this year leads the America East in assist turnover ratio (2.48), total assists (52), and assists per game (5.8) Saar has amassed five or more assists 45 times and double-figure assist totals four times in her career. With three assists at Hartford (12/23/20), Saar surpassed Kim Corbitt to move into third on Maine's all-time assists list. Saar now stands just 24 assists behind Cindy Blodgett (487) for second 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 95 assists shy of moving into the top-5 on the America East career assists list.
FOGARTY SETS 3-POINT MARK
On Jan. 3, 2021 at New Hampshire,
Kelly Fogarty set a new Maine women's basketball school-record, while matching the all-time America East mark, after she knocked down 10 three-point field goals in a single game. The 10 triples broke her own school-record (9), a mark she set during the 2019-20 season.
SAAR CLOSING IN ON 1,000 POINTS/500 ASSISTS
Dor Saar currently stands just 26 points away from 1,000 in her career and 37 assists shy of 500. Should Dor reach the marks, she'd become just the 22nd in Maine women's basketball history to reach the 1,000 point plateau, the second to reach 500 assists, and the first to achieve both 1,000 points and 500 assists.
SAAR - LEGENDARY FROM DOWNTOWN
Dor Saar currently ranks second on Maine's all-time 3-point field goals made list (214). Saar is just five triples away from tying Cindy Blodgett (219) for first all-time in Maine history. In a contest at Hartford, Saar became 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 62 career rebounds away from 600.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE DEFENSE
As impressive as Maine's offense has been through seven games in 2020-21 (67.4 ppg), the defense has been equally, if not more, impressive. Maine enters the weekend with the 17th ranked defense in the nation, allowing just 54.2 points per game. Maine has held four of its first nine opponents to 50 points or fewer.
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 40 times, including 21 times last season. From Jan. 5 to March 8, 2020, Saar tallied 40+ minutes in 16-straight outings. Currently, Saar ranks 27th in the nation in 2020-21 at 37.4 minutes per game.
HOME SWEET HOME
Over the past four seasons, Maine has built a 49-9 overall record at home and a 37-3 record in league play.
CONFERENCE TIDBITS
Over the past four seasons, Maine has gone 45-9 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.
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.
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.
THREE-POINT OFFENSE
Maine currently leads the America East in 3-point field goals made (78), 3-point field goals made per game (8.7), and 3-point field goals percentage (33.9).
FACTOR OF 60
Over the past seven seasons, Maine is 127-21 when holding its opponent to 60 or fewer points. The Black Bears are 69-11 in the Vachon era when limiting teams to 60 or less. Over the past seven seasons against league competition, Maine is 74-9 when holding America East opponents to 60 points or fewer.
60 OR MORE
On the flip-side, Maine is 130-25 over the past seven seasons when it scorers 60 or more. In league play, Maine has a 78-8 record when scoring 60 or more points.
DECIDED AT THE HALF
Maine is 42-4 when leading at halftime over the past three seasons and 69-10 when taking a lead into the half under Vachon.
FROM DOWNTOWN
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 23-8 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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