Orono, Maine -- After opening the season with two-straight road games, the Black Bears return to The Pit to begin the home portion of the 2022-23 campaign when they host Yale on Saturday at 6 p.m. live on
ESPN3. The game can also be heard locally on 92.9 The Ticket and worldwide at
GoBlackBears.com. Maine has won seven of its last eight home contests.
LAST TIME OUT:
Amherst, Mass. --
Olivia Rockwood poured in a team-high 15 points in Maine's 67-54 loss at UMass on Monday evening.
Rockwood, who has now registered double-figure scoring efforts in each of Maine's first two games, knocked down five triples en route to her team-high performance. Adrianna Smith posted a career-high 10 points and matched her career-high with seven rebounds while Jaycie Christopher and
Anne Simon each tallied eight points.
The difference in the game came in the second quarter where Maine was outscored 24-0 in the period after shooting 0-for-12 over the 10 minutes stretch. The lapse in offense led to Maine trailing, 39-12 at the break.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Through two games this season, the Black Bears are averaging 57.0 points per game while surrendering 62.5. Maine, which ranked in the top-50 in the nation in turnovers per game a year ago, have continued the trend as it leads the America East with just 14.0 turnovers per game through the first two. In the early stages, Maine's three-point production also mimics the offense from a year ago as Maine ranks second in the America East and 67th nationally with 8.0 triples per game. Individually, Maine has received great scoring production from beyond the arc and off the bench from
Olivia Rockwood. Rockwood ranks third in the America East at 16.0 points per game, including a career best 17 in Maine's season opening win at James Madison. Rockwood has hit five triples in each of the first two games and checks in atop the conference and tied for first in the country at 5.0 three point field goals per game. Rockwood's 43.5 percent showing from long range is third best in the league. The Black Bears have also received solid production from sophomore Adrianna Smith who has set back-to-back career-highs in scoring, including a 10 point production at UMass. Smith ranks ninth in the America East at 6.5 rebounds per game.
Anne Simon, the reigning America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, poured in 21 points in Maine's season opener and stands fifth in the league at 14.5 points per game.
A LOOK AT YALE:
After dropping their first two games of the season, the Bulldogs have strung together a pair of wins with victories over Fairfield and at Army. Yale will look to counter UMaine's three-point scoring threat with the Ivy League's top ranked three-point defense, holding opponents to 25.3 percent through four games. Yale is forcing 16.0 turnovers per game and lead the Ivy League with 9.5 steals per game. Despite some impressive defensive numbers, the Bulldogs are allowing 66.5 points per game. Elles van der Maas leads the Yale scoring attack at 14.0 points per game. Jenna Clark rounds out the double-digit scorers at 10.8 points while Nyla McGill is nearly averaging a double-double at 9.3 points and a team-high 8.3 rebounds. Clark was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award watch list, an honor presented to the nation's top point guard. The Bulldogs are without two-time All-Ivy League honoree Camilla Emsbo who was lost for the year with a season-ending injury in the preseason. Yale is led by first-year head coach, Dalila Eshe.
SERIES WITH YALE:
Maine and Yale meet for the fifth time in history and the second time in as many years. The all-time head-to-head series is knotted at two wins each. This is Yale's first time playing in Orono as the previous contest hosted by the Black Bears took place in Portland, a 92-62 victory by the Black Bears in 2003. A year ago, Maine went on the road to defeat Yale, 47-44, behind 16 points from Simon. Maine defense buckled down in the win, holding Yale to single digits in both the second (8 pts) and fourth (6 pts) quarters. The win was Maine's first on the road in the series as the Black Bears lost in their first two trips to Yale.
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Tale of the Tape
| Maine |
Category |
Yale |
| 57.0 |
Points Per Game |
65.0 |
| 62.5 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
66.5 |
| -5.5 |
Scoring Margin |
-1.5 |
| 37.8 |
FG Pct. |
38.7 |
| 25.0 |
3-Pt FG Pct. |
25.3 |
| 57.1 |
FT Pct. |
68.8 |
| 29.0 |
Rebound Per Game |
36.8 |
| -13.5 |
Rebound Margin |
+3.5 |
| 13.5 |
Assists Per Game |
11.3 |
| 14.0 |
Turnovers Per Game |
16.3 |
| 14.5 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
16.0 |
| 8.0 |
Steals Per Game |
9.5 |
| 2.0 |
Blocks Per Game |
2.3 |
-UMaine-
