Orono, Maine -- Maine begins its 60th season of competition Monday evening when it travels to take on Quinnipiac at 5:30 p.m.
For the fifth consecutive season, the Black Bears begin the year on the road as they travel for their fourth-ever meeting with the Bobcats. Maine is 35-24 all-time in season openers and 6-2 in its last eight season openers after 60-58 victory over James Madison to begin the season a year ago.
Broadcast Details:
Monday' game will be live streamed on ESPN+ and can be heard locally on 92.9 The Ticket and nationwide at GoBlackBears.com.
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A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine, selected second in the America East preseason coaches' poll, returns all five starters from last year's team which finished the year third in the America East with a 16-14 overall mark and an 11-5 conference record. The Black Bears will welcome back 97% of its scoring from a year ago including each of its top eight point scorers including Smith who led the America East in both scoring (17.9) and rebounding (9.5) while adding 16 double-doubles on the season. Simon, a two-time America East first team selection, also returns a year after averaging 13.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in an injury shortened season. Three-point threats
Caroline Bornemann (9.1 ppg) and
Olivia Rockwood (6.8 ppg) also return to bolster Maine's offensive output. The Black Bears will also welcome back
Anna Kahelin who started the first game of the 2022-23 season before suffering a season-ending injury in the opener.
A LOOK AT QUINNIPIAC:
The Bobcats finished the 2022-23 campaign 21-9 overall and 16-4 in MAAC play after suffering a 50-43 loss to Manhattan in the quarterfinal round of the conference tournament. The Bobcats were tabbed fifth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll while junior Jackie Grisdale earned Preseason All-MAAC Second Team honors. Grisdale started all 30 games a year ago while averaging career-highs in scoring (9.9), rebounding (2.3), assists (1.3), and steals (0.8). Grisdale returns as Quinnipiac's top-scoring threat after finishing the 2022-23 second on the team in scoring. Quinnipiac will be searching for production after losing four of its top-five scorers from last year's squad. Head Coach Tricia Fabbri, the all-time winningest coach in Quinnipiac women's basketball history, returns for her 29th season at the helm of the Bobcats. Fabri currently has 503 career wins, placing her 31st among active Division-I head coaches.
SERIES WITH QUINNIPIAC:
Maine is searching for its first-ever win over Quinnipiac as it enters play 0-3 all-time against the Bobcats and 0-2 on the road in the series. The last meeting between the two squads came in the opening round of the 2016 WNIT with Quinnipiac coming out on top on its home court, 90-44. The teams first met in 2007, a 70-49 win by the Bobcats in the second round of the Dead River Company Classic in Orono. Maine came up short at Quinnipiac in 2009 by a score of 68-59.
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