Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine, which will enter the America East playoffs as the league's top seed, puts its 10-game win streak on the line when it welcomes UMBC for a weekend series to close out the regular season slate. The teams will meet at Memorial Gymnasium on Saturday at 1 p.m. before closing out the regular season on Senior Day, presented by GAC Chemical Corporation, on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center.
Maine's win streak is the seventh longest active streak in the nation. Should Maine sweep the weekend, the Black Bears would earn the 2021-22 America East Regular Season title. It would mark Maine's fourth regular season title in the past five seasons, and the 18th time in history it has earned at least a share of the regular season crown. The Black Bears will enter postseason play as the league's top seed for the 16th time in program history.
Tickets are available for both games. Tickets for Saturday can be purchased by visiting
GoBlackBears.com/tickets. Sunday's tickets are available at
TicketMaster.com. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+. Saturday's game can be heard on 95.7 FM while Sunday's game will air locally at 92.9 FM.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears have won 10 in a row and currently own the nation's seventh longest active win streak. Over the 10 game stretch, Maine's defense has excelled as the Black Bears are holding their last 10 opponents to just 46.3 points per game. During the win streak, Maine has held six opponents to 45 points or fewer while forcing 18.2 turnovers and averaging 11.4 steals per game. Maine, which is outscoring its last 10 opponents by a +13.0 margin, has gotten out to quick starts over the stretch as it holds a +58 point advantage over its last 10 meetings in first quarter scoring.
Anne Simon has averaged 14.7 points and 3.5 steals over the stretch while
Alba Orois is adding 11.2 points and 5.4 assists.
Maeve Carroll is nearly averaging a double-double (10.3 pts/9.7 rebs) during the win streak while
Caroline Bornemann checks in at 10.1 points with a 36.7% clip from three-point range in her last 10 outings. Overall, Maine boasts the America East's current leaders in points, rebounding, and assists. Simon continues to lead the league in scoring at 16.0 points per game with double-figures in each of her last 18 outings. Simon ranks ninth in the country at 3.0 steals per game, sixth with 78 total steals.
Maeve Carroll leads the league in rebounding at 8.5 per game with 11 double-digit rebounding performances this season and five double-doubles.
Alba Orois is the league's leader in assists, checking in 21st nationally at 5.5 assists per game. Orois has tallied six or more assists 13 times this season with a pair of double-digit assist performances. Â
A LOOK AT UMBC:
The Retrievers have lost five in a row and enter the weekend just 2-11 on the road this season. In its most recent outing, UMBC dropped a 74-71 decision to Hartford on Wednesday evening. The Retrievers rank eighth in America East in scoring (54.5) and ninth in scoring defense (65.2) while also struggling on the boards as they check in last in the league at 32.7 rebounds per game. Individually, UMBC is led by Janee'a Summers who averages 12.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Onome-Juliet Esadah leads the Retrievers on the boards, averaging 8.3 per game while adding 9.9 points.
SERIES WITH UMBC:
Maine has won six of its last seven meetings against the Retrievers and lead the all-time series, 22-13. Maine is 12-5 at home against UMBC and have won six of its last seven meetings on its home court against UMBC. The two teams first met on Jan. 24, 2004 with Maine coming away with a 60-45 victory in Baltimore. The Black Bears would go on to win each of the first five meetings in the all-time series. Maine captured the most recent victory, 66-54, on Feb. 29, 2020 in Baltimore.
Tale of the Tape
| Maine (16-10, 13-3) |
Category |
UMBC (3-20, 2-11) |
| 57.7 |
Points Per Game |
55.3 |
| 57.2 |
Opponent Points Per Game |
65.0 |
| +0.5 |
Scoring Margin |
-9.7 |
| 40.1 |
Field Goal Percentage |
36.8 |
| 29.4 |
3-Point Field Goal Percentage |
32.0 |
| 65.6 |
Free Throw Percentage |
75.4 |
| 32.8 |
Rebounds Per Game |
32.5 |
| -2.5 |
Rebound Margin |
-3.0 |
| 13.8 |
Assists Per Game |
9.7 |
| 14.0 |
Turnovers Per Game |
17.0 |
| 16.2 |
Turnovers Forced Per Game |
15.8 |
| 8.9 |
Steals Per Game |
8.2 |
| 2.7 |
Blocks Per Game |
1.0 |
-UMaine-
