Orono, Maine -- Maine looks to start the season 2-0 for the second time in the past three seasons when it travels for its first meeting at UMass since 2014 live on NESN and ESPN+ on Monday at 7 p.m. The game can also be heard locally on 92.9 The Ticket and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com.
LAST TIME OUT:
Harrisonburg, Va. --
Caroline Bornemann's bucket off an inbounds play with 1.4 remaining in regulation broke a 58-58 tie as the University of Maine women's basketball team opened its season with a 60-58 victory at James Madison on Monday evening.
Anne Simon, who tallied 17 second half points, led the Black Bears with 21 points, marking the 15th time in her career in which she's registered 20 or more points in a game.
Olivia Rockwood finished with a career high 17 points with five triples while Bornemann chipped in 11 points and a career-high matching eight rebounds.
The Black Bears assisted on 14 of their 25 field goals, finishing the game 25-of-62 (40%) from the floor.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine returns three starters (Simon, Bornemann, Gallego) to a squad picked to finish second in the America East preseason coaches poll a year after going 20-12, 15-3 in league play. Maine, which reached the America East Championship game in 2021 for the seventh consecutive season, fell in the title game to UAlbany before advancing to compete against Boston College in the opening round of the WNIT. Simon, the reigning America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, enters the game ranked 165h on Maine's all-time scoring list (1,187) after averaging 14.0 points per game during her first three seasons. Simon, who led Maine with 21 points in the season opening win at James Madison, led the America East in scoring (16.0) and steals (2.8) per game a year ago. After pouring in 21 against JMU, Simon has now tallied 20 or more points 15 times in her career. Bornemann, who was named to the America East All-Tournament Team in 2022, averaged 8.2 points and 4.2 rebounds a year ago while leading Maine with a 36.4 clip from three-point range. Bornemann opened the season with 11 points, including the game-winning bucket, at JMU. Gallego, an America East All-Rookie selection and three-time America East Rookie of the Week, averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 boards in 2021-22. The Black Bears also welcome back
Olivia Rockwood (32 gms/4.1 pts), who notched a career-high 17 in the season opener, and Adrianna Smith (30 gms/2.1/pts/2.0 rbs), who also tallied a career-high matching nine points in the win, with significant experience. Maine looks to get key minutes from native Mainers Jaycie Christopher, the 2022 Maine Player of the Year, who started and played 33 minutes in the season opener. Maine welcomes back four of its top six scorers (Simon, Bornemann, Rockwood, Gallego). Head coach
Amy Vachon returns for her sixth full season at the helm of the Black Bears and 12th overall year on staff. Vachon, one of only two coaches in the history of the America East Conference to be named Coach of the Year four times, has won the award in each of the past two seasons.
Maine led the America East in total triples made (195) and three pointers made per game (6.1). The Black Bears were also extremely efficient in taking care of the ball, ranking first in the America East and 53rd nationally with just 13.5 giveaways per game. The Black Bears also led the league in assists, featuring 14.3 helpers per game, and second with 8.3 steals.
A LOOK AT UMASS:
UMass, selected as the preseason favorites in the Atlantic-10 poll, won the league a year ago with a 26-7 overall mark and 11-4 showing in Atlantic-10 action. The Minutewomen went on to lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to #5 Notre Dame, 89-78. UMass returns 10 players from last year's squad, led by preseason all-conference first teamers Sam Breen (17.3 ppg/10.1 rpg in 2021-22), and Sydney Taylor (15.9 ppg in 2021-22) and preseason second team selection Destiney Philoxy (10.8 ppg/5.7 apg in 2021-22). UMass is 1-1 after opening its season with a 72-57 win over Central Conn. State before posting an impressive performance in a losing effort at #5 Tennessee, 74-65. Breen leads the way through two games, averaging 24.5 points and 10.0 rebounds while Philoxy is adding 12.5 points. UMass is forcing 17.0 turnovers a game and adding 6.5 steals.
SERIES WITH UMASS:
Maine and UMass meet for the 24th time in history with the Black Bears holding a 14-9 edge in the overall head-to-head series. This marks the first meeting between the two programs since 2014, a game won by UMass 68-60, at the Mullins Center. Maine's last win in the series came in 2013, an 86-56 triumph in the opening round of Maine's November Tournament held in Bangor. Since 1985, Maine is 1-4 at UMass with the lone win coming on Jan. 3, 2010 (65-49). Maine has won three of the last five meetings in the series. Maine's last road win in the series came on Nov. 23, 2008, a 54-45 decision.
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Tale of the Tape
| Maine |
Category |
UMass |
| 60.0 |
Points Per Game |
68.5 |
| 58.0 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
65.5 |
| +2.0 |
Scoring Margin |
+3.0 |
| 40.3 |
FG Pct. |
38.3 |
| 27.6 |
3-Pt FG Pct. |
21.7 |
| 66.7 |
FT Pct. |
70.4 |
| 30.0 |
Rebound Per Game |
40.5 |
| -5.0 |
Rebound Margin |
-1.0 |
| 14.0 |
Assists Per Game |
16.5 |
| 13.0 |
Turnovers Per Game |
12.0 |
| 15.0 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
17.0 |
| 7.0 |
Steals Per Game |
6.5 |
| 2.0 |
Blocks Per Game |
1.0 |
-UMaine-
