Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team outscored visiting New Hampshire 24-9 in the first quarter before using a 17-0 second quarter run to put the game out of reach, finishing the regular season with an 82-53 victory over New Hampshire.

Maine closes its regular season slate at 16-2, 5-0 at home, and 13-2 in league play as it as clinched the No. 1 seed in the upcoming America East playoffs. Maine, which has now won each of its last 11 home contests, will host the lowest remaining seed in the America East semifinals on Sunday, March 7.

The Black Bears registered 46 points in the paint, forced 17 turnovers, and enjoyed one of their best shooting performances (47.0) of the season en route to a convincing victory over the Wildcats in the Border Battle, presented by Buffalo Wild Wings. Maine, which shot 50 percent from the floor in both the second and third quarters, were led by individual performances of 21 points and nine rebounds each by Anne Simon and Blanca Millan. Maeve Carroll added 12 points and five assists in the win while Kelly Fogarty knocked down four triples, also finishing with 12 points.

Milestones continued to fall for the Black Bears as Dor Saar became the only player in Maine women's basketball history to eclipse 1,000 points and 500 assists for a career, as she added four assists to surpass 500 helpers.

Maine, which assisted on 17 of its 31 field goals, forced 10 steals to mark the eighth time this season in which it has produced double-digit steal totals. The Black Bears totaled just nine turnovers, the fourth time this season in which they have limited their giveaways to single digits.

Leading by four late in the first, Maine ended to opening period with an 11-0 run to take a 24-9 advantage. Fogarty's first triple of the afternoon started the run before Saar knocked down a bucket from downtown to lift the lead to 12. Millan's bucket, off a turnover, came as the fifth year guard drew a foul on the play. Millan would knock down the free throw to complete the three-point play as Maine found itself up by 15 after one.

The Black Bears swelled their lead to 27 in the second thanks to a 17-0 run as they held the Wildcats scoreless over a 6:51 gap. Simon's triple off a feed from Alba Orois put the Black Bears up by 20 with 4:03 left in the second. Millan's bucket, again off a turnover, and another three by Fogarty gave Maine a 25 point edge before two free throws by Carroll gave Maine its largest lead of the first half, 43-16.

Maine would enter the break with a 48-21 advantage.

A 5-0 run early in the third, capped on yet another triple by Fogarty, gave the Black Bears a healthy 31 point cushion. The lead would not dip under 25 the rest of the way.

Millan's layup in the paint to start the fourth quarter gave Maine its largest lead of the contest, 72-39.

Maine would cruise through the fourth quarter, sealing the victory over New Hampshire by a final of 82-53.

-UMaine-