Orono, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team improved to 5-0 in America East play for the first time since the 2003-04 season following a convincing, 81-39 victory over NJIT on Saturday afternoon.

Caroline Bornemann matched her career-high with five triples and finished with a season-high 27 points to go along with 12 rebounds to lead the Black Bears in the win. Anne Simon moved into seventh on Maine's all-time scoring list with 1,707 career points following a 20 point effort, extending her double-digit scoring streak to 13 straight games while Adrianna Smith posted her 13th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Smith has now registered a double-double in three consecutive games and five of her last six outings.

Maine, which entered the game allowing just 47.5 points per game to its league competition, turned in one of its best defensive efforts of the season as it allowed a season-low 39 points including holding the Highlanders to just 14 total second half points. The Black Bears held NJIT to a 14-of-49 (28.6) shooting performance while forcing 19 turnovers on seven steals.

The Black Bears held a decisive, 48-28 advantage on the boards to win the rebounding battle for the fifth-straight game and assisted on 21 of their 29 made field goals. A total of 17 of Maine's 48 rebounds came off the offensive glass, ending in 23 second chance points. Maine finished the day 29-of-65 (44.6) from the floor.

Maine was hot from the start, opening the game with a 9-for-15 mark in the first quarter which included a 12-2 run to open the contest.

The Black Bears would lead by 12 after one.

Bornemann, who posted 16 of her game-high 27 points in the second, began a 15-6 Maine run with back-to-back threes. The hot shooting started a string of four second quarter triples for Bornemann as another three from the guard extended Maine's lead to 20. Simon's put-back off a Bornemann offensive board came before another Bornemann triple to give Maine its largest lead of the half, 45-20.

Bornemann would end the half with 20 points and seven rebounds as the Black Bears led, 49-25, entering the break.

Maine's lead would stand at 22 with 5:41 left in the third before the Black Bears closed the quarter on a 15-1 run. Jaycie Christopher's corner three extended the lead to 28 just under a minute before Bornemann again hit from downtown to push the lead out to 32. Smith and Bornemann each hit buckets to close the quarter to give Maine a 68-32 lead moving to the fourth.

The Black Bears would hold NJIT to just one point over the final 7:11 of action, ending the contest on a 10-1 to capture their fifth league victory of the season, 81-39.

Maine continues league play on Thursday, Jan. 25 when it travels to take on UAlbany (16-2, 5-0) at 7 p.m.

-UMaine-