Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team closes out non-conference play when it makes its first trip to Penn since 2010 to take on the Quakers on Saturday at 1 p.m.
The match-up marks Maine's third overall meeting with the Quakers and first since 2018. A win for the Black Bears would give them their most non-conference victories (8) since picking up nine non-conference wins in 2015.
Broadcast Details:
Saturday's game will be live streamed on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on the Black Bears Sports Network and locally in the Bangor market on 92.9 FM.
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LAST TIME OUT:
New Orleans, La. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team trailed by as many as 16 at Tulane before trimming the deficit to just two late but were unable to inch closer, falling to the Green Wave by a final of 64-61 in the championship game of the Tulane Holiday Tournament.
After
Caroline Bornemann cut the deficit to three with 1:07 to play, the Black Bears had three chances to tie or take the lead but would come up short in the attempts.
Adrianna Smith posted 18 of her game-high 25 points in the second half to go along with five assists to lead the Black Bears while
Anne Simon added 18 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. For Simon, the 18 point effort stretched her double-digit scoring streak to seven-straight.
Maine finished the game 24-of-54 (44.4) from the floor while hitting six triples and going 7-of-11 from the free throw stripe.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine, playing its third-straight game away from home, looks to wrap up non-conference play after playing the most difficult (116th in the country) schedule among its America East peers. Maine, which has hit 10 or more triples in four of its last five outings, rank second in the America East and 58th nationally with 7.9 three-point field goals per game. The Black Bears check in 13th in the nation with 27.2 three-point attempts per game and enter play ranked third among America East leaders in scoring (63.5). Maine has won the rebounding battle in nine of its 13 games this season and rank second in the America East at 36.9 rebounds per game. Maine's duo of
Anne Simon and
Adrianna Smith lead the way offensively as the duo has accounted for 53.0 percent of the scoring this season. Simon, a four-time America East Player of the Week already this year, leads the America East in scoring and has posted double-digits in seven straight and 11 of her 13 outings to go along with three double-doubles. Simon, ninth on Maine's all-time scoring list, ranks second among AE leaders in rebounding (7.8) and second in steals (2.4). Smith is averaging a double-double in the season with 13.7 points and 10.6 rebounds. The junior forward ranks among the America East top-10 in seven categories including points (7th - 13.7); rebounding (1st - 10.6), and assists (3rd - 4.6) while checking in 15th nationally in rebounding and third among the nation's leaders with eight double-doubles, including a most recent 15 rebound and 10 assist double-double.
A LOOK AT PENN:
Penn, 1-3 in its last four outings, is 2-1 at home on the season and will be playing its first home game since Nov. 29 after a four-game road swing. The Quakers, picked fourth in the Ivy League preseason poll, are coming off a 61-47 loss at Temple back on Dec. 10. Penn checks in in the middle of the road of the Ivy League in almost every category, ranking fourth in scoring offense (66.9) and sixth in scoring defense (67.6). Penn is second in the Ivy League in free throw shooting (75.2) and second in blocks (4.2). Stina Almqvist leads Penn in scoring at 16.3 points, good for fourth in the Ivy, and leads the league in free throw attempts (65) and makes (46). Jordan Obi is adding 15.4 points and a team-leading 7.5 rebounds.
SERIES WITH PENN:
Maine is 1-1 all-time against the Quakers. The teams first met in 2010, a 69-48 victory by Penn on its home court. Maine defeated Penn by a final of 47-46 in the championship game of the Navy Tournament in 2018. Maine has never hosted Penn. The Black Bears are 1-0 against the Ivy League this season, with a 79-61 win over Harvard on Dec. 6.
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