Orono, Maine -- The No. 1 seeded University of Maine women's basketball team goes for its 10th league championship when it hosts No. 3 Vermont in the America East title game on Friday, March 15 at 5 p.m. live on ESPNU.

Maine makes its 23rd overall appearance in the America East title game, and the eighth in the past nine seasons, as it looks for its 10th conference championship and first since 2019. The Black Bears swept Vermont in the regular season, winning at home (60-48) before going on the road to defeat the Catamounts, 57-55. Maine is 7-4 in the postseason against Vermont, including a 4-3 mark in championship games. The two teams previously met in the title game in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000 with Coach Vachon serving as the point guard for the previous three title game meetings.

Tickets to the game are currently sold out. However, limited tickets will be made available at 3:30 p.m. on game day in the lobby of Memorial Gymnasium on a first come, first serve basis.

Broadcast Details:
Friday's game will air nationwide on ESPNU and be live streamed on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on the Black Bears Sports Network and live on 92.9 FM  in the Bangor market and 100.5 FM in the Portland region.

No. 1 Maine (23-9, 14-2 AE) vs. No. 3 Vermont (22-10, 12-4 AE)
Date & Time	Friday, March 15 - 5:00 p.m.
Venue	Memorial Gymnasium | Orono, Maine
Watch	TV: ESPNU | Web Stream: ESPN+ | International Stream: AE.tv
Listen	92.9 FM (Bangor) / 100.5 FM (Portland) | GoBlackBears.com
Live Stats	GoBlackBears.com
Game Notes	Maine | Vermont
Twitter	@BlackBearsWBB

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LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team erased a 10-point second half deficit to earn a 64-58 victory in the America East semifinals over Binghamton on Monday evening.

Maine, which trailed by 10 points with 4:32 left in the third quarter, stormed back to outscore Binghamton 24-13 in the final stanza to earn the victory. With the win, Maine improved to 23-4 in semifinal play and 4-0 against the Bearcats in the postseason.

Adrianna Smith led the way with a game-high 26 points to go along with seven rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. Smith was aided by Anne Simon who added 25 points, eight boards, and four steals. Olivia Rockwood finished the contest 4-of-9 from the floor with 10 points.

Maine's defense forced 21 Binghamton turnovers as the Black Bears were able to turn the mishaps into a 31-11 advantage in points off turnovers while using its 16 offensive rebounds to earn 12 second chance points to Binghamton's two.

A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears enter play 13-2 this season on their home court and have yet to lose against an America East opponent (9-0) at home this season. Maine, which gave the ball away just nine times last time out against Binghamton, has limited itself to single digit turnovers seven times this season and enters play ranked 15th in the country at 12.4 turnovers per game. Maine has turned it over just 18 total times in the postseason (9/9).Defensively, Maine has held 12 opponents under 50 points this season and currently rank 26th nationally in scoring defense (56.6). Maine has outrebounded the opposition 23 times this season and enter play 18-5 when controlling the boards. The Black Bears are tops in the America East in rebounding at 37.5 per game. Maine also boasts the league's leading offense, averaging 64.3 points per game with a league-high 7.4 triples per outing.

The Black Bears are led by the America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Anne Simon, and first team all-conference selection, Adrianna Smith. Simon (18.9) and Smith (16.6) rank first and second, respectively, among the league's scoring leaders and first and second in rebounding (Smith - 11.0; Simon - 7.4). Smith, who also leads the America East in assists (4.8), ranks 10th nationally in rebounding with double-digit rebounds in 22 games. Smith, who recently broke an America East single season record with her 22nd double-double on the year, ranks fourth in the country in double-doubles. Simon has posted double-digit scoring in 11-straight.

Maine has been forced to come from behind victories in each of its two postseason games this year, battling back from down 10 to beat Binghamton and down five to defeat UMass Lowell. The Black Bears are outscoring the opposition by a 41-27 margin in the fourth quarter. Smith is averaging 20.0 points per game, 9.0 assists, and 7.5 rebounds in postseason play while Simon is adding 18.5 points, 7.5 boards, and 4.0 steals. Maine has a +7.0 turnover margin in the playoffs.

A LOOK AT VERMONT:
The Catamounts, 8-5 on the road this season, have won three in a row after going on the road to knock-off No. 2 seeded UAlbany in the America East semifinals, 50-46. Vermont is appearing in the title game for the second consecutive season after defeating UAlbany to earn the championship, 38-36, a year ago. Vermont is led by America East First Team selection Emma Utterback who is averaging 14.5 points and 3.9 assists. Anna Olson is adding 11.5 points and a team-high 6.0 rebounds. The Catamounts feature the nation's second-ranked defense, allowing just 51.8 points per game while holding teams to 27.4 percent from beyond the arc, second best among America East teams. Vermont ranks 12th in the country, and tops in the conference, with just 12.2 turnovers per game while checking in with a league leading 44.1 percent showing from the field. Vermont ranks eighth in the league in rebounding (32.1) and average a fifth-best 59.2 points per game.

SERIES WITH VERMONT:
This meeting will mark the 104th all-time meeting between the two teams and the 12th in postseason play. Maine swept the regular season series this year, winning 60-48 in Orono before earning a 57-55 road win in Burlington. Maine has won 12 of the last 14 meetings. Vermont swept the series a year ago. The Black Bears currently hold a 67-36 advantage in the all-time series, having won 19 of the last 22 meetings. Since 1985, Maine is 26-12 at home against the Catamounts. In six games, Simon is averaging 16.7 points and 5.4 rebounds against Vermont in her career.

Maine is 7-4 in the postseason against the Catamounts and 4-3 in championship games. The teams previously met in the conference title game in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2000. Maine head coach Amy Vachon was the point guard for the Black Bears for the 1997, 1998, and 2000 games. The teams last met in the postseason in 2020, a quarterfinal game won by Maine (78-66). The Black Bears are looking for their first title since 2019 and 10th overall.

-UMaine-