Smithfield, R.I. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team used a strong second quarter and impressive individual efforts from Sarah Talon and Adrianna Smith to notch a 74-62 victory on the road at new America East member Bryant on Thursday afternoon.

The win gives Maine a 1-0 start to conference play for the sixth consecutive season and also marks Maine's 11th consecutive road conference victory dating back to the 2020-21 season.

Talon turned in a career and game-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting to go along with five rebounds and a pair of steals. Smith registered her conference leading sixth double-double as she packed the stat sheet with 19 points, a career-high 13 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block. Jaycie Christopher joined the duo in double-figures with 10 points.

In total, Maine finished the afternoon 31-of-66 (47.0) from the floor including a 7-of-22 mark from downtown. Maine won the rebounding margin by a slim, 36-33 margin, and forced 17 Bryant turnovers in the outing.

Trailing by one after one quarter, Maine turned it on in the second as it raced out to a 14-0 run before outscoring the Bulldogs by a final margin of 26-9 in the period.

Olivia Rockwood began the second quarter run with a triple, giving Maine a 17-15 lead. Anne Simon, who suffered a leg injury in the second quarter and did not return, buried a triple before back-to-back buckets by Smith put Maine up by nine. The run continued when Christopher powered her way through the paint for a bucket while drawing the foul. Her free throw gave Maine a 13 point cushion, 28-15.

Bryant closed within eight late in the period before Maine ended the half strong. Triples from Talon and Christopher sent Maine into the break with its largest lead of the half, 40-24.

The Bulldogs opened the third with a 6-0 run, closing the gap to 10. Maine responded, stopping the run with a three from Talon.

Bryant kept charging, ending the third with a 6-0 run to crawl back within a pair, 51-49, after three.

The Black Bears regrouped and began the fourth strong with a 5-0 run on a rare triple from Smith followed by a driving bucket by Talon to go up seven.

Bryant again answered, this time with a 4-0 sprint to close within three with 7:24 to play. 

However, it would be as close as the Bulldogs could get.

Maine staged a 10-0 run to distance itself and help seal the win. Talon started the sprint with a bucket before Caroline Bornemann's fast break three from the corner extended the lead back to eight. A bucket and a free throw by Talon lifted the lead to 11 before Bornemann's layup gave Maine a 66-53 edge with 4:49 to play.

The lead did not dip below 10 the rest of the way as Maine cruised to its first America East win of the season 74-62.

Maine is back in action on Wednesday, Jan. 4 when it returns home to host UMass Lowell at 7 p.m.

-UMaine-