Orono, Maine -- Maine looks to start 3-0 in conference play for the second consecutive season when it travels to meet New Hampshire for 103rd meeting between the two programs in the Border Battle, presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.
Maine, which has won six in a row against the Wildcats, have not lost in Durham since 2021.
Broadcast Details:
Thursday'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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A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine moved to 2-0 in conference play with a victory over the league's preseason favorites, Vermont, and look to move to 3-0 in league play for the second-straight season.
Anne Simon was named America East Player of the Week for the fifth time this season on Monday after averaging 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals, and 3.0 assists. A nine-time recipient of the award, Simon is looking to become just the fourth Black Bear in history to collect 10 or more Player of the Week honors. Simon, who tallied her fourth double-double of the season in the win over Vermont, extended her double-digit point scoring streak to 10 in a row with a 20 point effort against the Catamounts. Simon also picked up six steals in the win to move her into sixth on Maine's all-time steals list (237). The grad student continues to lead the league in scoring (19.3 ppg), ranks second in rebounding (7.6), and second in steals (2.4) while her 309 points scored this season rank 17th nationally.
Adrianna Smith ranks fourth in the country with 10 double-doubles this season and checks in among the top-10 in the America East in rebounding (1st - 10.6), scoring (7th - 14.6), and assists (3rd - 4.5). Smith has a four-game double-digit scoring streak with double-doubles in two of her last three. Maine's defense has been strong through two conference games, holding opponents to just 45.5 points per game. The Black Bears, who have won the rebounding battle in each of the two conference games and are 9-3 on the year when winning the boards battle, lead the conference with 37.6 rebounds per game. Maine checks in first in the league and 35t nationally with 25.1 three-point attempts per game and also lead the conference with an impressive 13.4 giveaways per game.
A LOOK AT UNH:
The Wildcats have dropped four of their last five outings including each of their first two conference games with losses to Vermont and UMass Lowell. UNH ranks eighth in the America East in scoring (55.2) and third in scoring defense (57.7). The Cats lead the league in turnovers forced at 18.7 per game with a league-high 9.3 steals, but rank seventh in three-point defense (29.9). UNH featured no player averaging double-figure scoring and is led by Avery O'Connor at 8.7 points while Adara Groman is adding 7.9 points. UNH has scored over 60 points just four times this season.
SERIES WITH UNH:
Maine and New Hampshire will meet for the 103rd time in their storied history. The Black Bears enter play with a 66-36 advantage in the series and have matched up against UNH more times than any of its other opponents. Maine has won six in a row against the Wildcats and won the latest trip to Durham, 56-45, last season. Since 1985, Maine is 24-16 on the road against New Hampshire. The two teams first met in 1920, a 15-13 victory by the Wildcats. Maine has won three-straight road games in the series.
Anne Simon has scored in double-digits in eight of her nine games against UNH and enters play averaging 16.8 points per game in the series.
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