Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team outscored Harvard 47-32 to help it earn a 79-61 victory over the Crimson on Wednesday evening at Memorial Gymnasium.

The Black Bears followed up its best shooting performance of the season (51.9) in a win at Fordham with another impressive showing in which it finished 29-of-57 (50.9) from the floor with 10 triples and a 11-of-15 mark from the free throw stripe.

Maine, which tallied its highest point scoring total of the season, was led by Anne Simon who scored 13 of her game-high 17 points in the second half to go along with eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Caroline Bornemann added a season-high 16 points while Jaycie Christopher came off the bench to chip in 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from downtown. Despite not registering 10 rebounds, Adrianna Smith posted her nation-leading seventh double-double with 12 points and a career-high 10 assists. For Smith, it marked her fifth double-double in as many games.

The Black Bears stayed strong on the boards, winning the rebounding battle (34-27) for seventh time this season with 13 offensive boards in the win. Maine's defense forced 21 turnovers on 11 steals.

Six of the eight lead changes in the game took place in the first quarter as the two teams traded the lead five times over the opening 3:32 of action.

Harvard grabbed its largest lead of the contest with 3:48 left in the first following a 6-0 run. Maine trimmed the deficit to one before Harvard carried a 17-15 edge into the second period.

Maine opened the second quarter with a 4-0 run to take a slim edge before a pair of Bornemann free throws gave Maine its largest lead, 28-24, with 2:39 left in the half.

The Crimson regained the lead, taking a 36-32 advantage following a 7-0 run to start the third quarter.

Maine settled in and answered, stringing together a 16-4 run to push the lead out to eight. The run, which featured four threes from the Black Bears, saw Maine retake the lead on a triple from Olivia Rockwood. Harvard would tie the score shortly after before Maine answered with back-to-back threes from Sera Hodgson and Jaycie Christopher. With the lead at six, Smith's offensive put back lifted Maine's lead out to eight, 48-40, with 3:31 on the clock in the third.

The Black Bears kept charging and were able to take their first double-digit lead late in the third on a free throw from Bornemann.

After Harvard cut the lead back down to five early in the fourth, Maine would look to put it away with a 17-7 sprint.

Sarah Talon's three started the run before the lead lifted back out to double-digits on Christopher's layup off a turnover. Leading by eight, Maine continued to charge as Bornemann's three swelled the lead to 11 before Simon, working off a steal, cashed in to put Maine up 13. Bornemann's bucket, this time off a Smith steal, put Maine up 15 with 1:52 left.

Harvard would get as close as 12 but Maine closed out the contest on a 6-0 run to take the victory, 79-61.

Maine is back in action on Dec. 17 when it hosts James Madison at Memorial Gymnasium.

-UMaine-