Durham, N.H. -- The Black Bears forced 23 turnovers while registering a season-high 17 steals to help lead them to a 53-45 victory at New Hampshire on Wednesday. The win, Maine's third in a row over New Hampshire, gave Maine with a Border Battle, presented by Buffalo Wild Wings, sweep of the Wildcats in the season series.

Anne Simon led the way with 16 points and a career-high eight steals while Caroline Bornemann added 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Maeve Carroll added seven points and her sixth double-digit rebounding performance of the season with 12 boards.

Maine, which turned New Hampshire's 23 turnovers into 25 points, never trailed in the contest. The Black Bears led by as many as seven in the first quarter, as Simon cashed in on a bucket, off a turnover, while drawing a foul. The free throw make would end a 6-2 run and give Maine a 13-6 edge.

The Wildcats would tie the game late in the second before Maine answered with a 6-0 run. A bucket from Carroll was followed by back-to-back makes from Simon as Maine entered the break leading, 31-26, after an impressive 7-of-12 shooting performance in the second quarter.

Simon would score the first four points of the second half, stretching Maine's lead to nine early in the third quarter.

The Wildcats responded, this time with a 10-1 run, tying the game at 36-36 with 1:41 left in the third.

Maine, leading by one early in the fourth, would began to distance itself as the Black Bears staged a 9-0 run. Back-to-back triples from Bornemann and Olivia Rockwood pushed the advantage to nine before a free throw from Simon gave Maine its largest lead of the contest, 48-38.

Maine's lead would not dip below four the rest of the way as the Black Bears earned the road victory, 53-45.

Maine is back in action on Sunday, Jan. 30 when it hosts Vermont at the Cross Insurance Center at 1 p.m. for Maine's National Girl and Women in Sports Day celebration. For more details on the day, including the Interactive Sports Fair which begins at 11 a.m., click here.

-UMaine-