Orono, Maine -- Following its four-game road stretch, the Black Bears return home to the Cross Insurance Center for the first time since Nov. 15 to host Drexel on Saturday at noon. Maine welcomes former conference foe Drexel to Bangor in the first meeting held in Maine between the two programs since 2001.
Tickets for Saturday's matinee are still available and can be purchased at
TicketMaster.com or in-person at the Cross Insurance Center box office.
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on
ESPN+. The game can also be heard worldwide on the
Black Bear Sports Network and locally in Maine on 92.9
FM.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears wrapped up a four-game road trip, going 2-2 on the journey with wins at Yale and at Boston University.
Maeve Carroll, who has a three-game double-figure scoring streak going, ranks in the top six among America East leaders in scoring (6th - 12.3); rebounding (1st - 8.9); assists (2nd - 4.0); and blocks (2nd - 1.3).
Anne Simon, who saw her six-game double-digit scoring streak snap at Princeton, leads Maine in scoring as the junior sits atop the America East scoring leaders at 16.4 points per game. Simon has been impressive at both ends of the court as she also leads the league in steals at 2.6 swipes per game, with four or more steals in three of Maine's first seven including a career-high six at Army. Sophomore
Alba Orois, who has tallied four or more assists in four of Maine's first seven outings, leads America East at 4.9 assists, ranking 34th nationally with 34 total helpers. Orois' 51.7 percent mark from the floor is good for fifth among league leaders.
A LOOK AT DREXEL:
The Dragons, who were selected No. 1 in the CAA Preseason Coaches Poll, enter at 5-2 and riding a two-game win streak after defeating Dartmouth, 67-44, on Tuesday evening. Drexel, which captured the CAA title a year ago, are led by CAA Preseason First Team All-Conference selections Hannah Nihill (13.1 pts/4.4 apg) and Keishana Washington (12.9 pts/4.3 apg). Bucknell graduate transfer Tessa Brugler leads the Dragons in scoring (13.6) and rebounding (9.6). Drexel enters averaging 61.7 points per game while ranking third in the CAA in scoring defense, allowing just 55.3 points. Drexel ranks among the nation's leaders in ball control, ranking 8th in the nation with just 11.4 giveaways per game.
SERIES WITH DREXEL:
From 1991 to 2001, the Black Bears and Dragons met as members of the NAC and America East conferences. The two team will meet for the 29th time in history, and first since 2008, with Maine holding a 23-5 advantage in the all-time series, including a 4-0 mark in the conference tournament against the Dragons. Maine captured the first-ever meeting between the two teams, 56-48, back on Dec. 28, 1985, and went on to win the first eight games in the head-to-head series. Drexel has won three-straight against Maine, including the most recent meeting, a 70-57 final in 2019. Maine is 15-2 at home and will be hosting Drexel for the first-time since Jan. 18, 2001 - a 75-67 Maine win. Maine has won 10-straight home games against Drexel.
CHALLENGING THEMSELVES EARLY:
Maine has played the 35th toughest schedule in the country so far this season. Stone Brook is the closest America East team in terms of closest schedule, checking in with the 157th toughest schedule in the country thus far - 122 spots lower than the Black Bears
Tale of the Tape
| Maine (2-5) |
Category |
Drexel (5-2) |
| 57.3 |
Points Per Game |
61.7 |
| 75.3 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
55.3 |
| -18.0 |
Scoring Margin |
+6.4 |
| 40.1 |
Field Goal Percentage |
43.1 |
| 25.6 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
28.3 |
| 60.7 |
Free Throw Percentage |
68.7 |
| 31.6 |
Rebounds Per Game |
35.0 |
| -10.1 |
Rebound Margin |
+0.6 |
| 13.1 |
Assists Per Game |
16.6 |
| 16.4 |
Turnovers Per Game |
11.4 |
| 14.4 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
15.3 |
| 6.1 |
Steals Per Game |
7.4 |
| 3.0 |
Blocks Per Game |
4.1 |
-UMaine-
