ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team returns home for the start of a three-game homestand when it hosts NJIT on Thursday at 6 p.m. Limited tickets for the game remain available at GoBlackBears.com/tickets.
Broadcast Details: Thursday's game will be live streamed on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on the Black Bears Sports Network at GoBlackBears.com and live in the Bangor region on 92.9 FM.
Promotional Details:
It's a Bingo Day! The first 400 fans through the gate will receive a Bingo Card. Each card will feature specific in-game occurrences. As occurrences happen throughout the game, fans will mark them off on their cards until we have a winner! Prizes vary with more details available at the marketing table on game day.
Note: Concessions services at Memorial Gymnasium is now cashless and will remain cashless throughout hte 2024-25 season.
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Maine has won 15 consecutive home games against conference opponents dating back to the 2022-23 season.
LAST TIME OUT:
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (7-10, 2-2 America East), which led by as many as eight twice in the contest, was unable to hold its edge as it dropped a 60-55 decision at UAlbany (14-3, 4-0 AE) on Saturday afternoon.
Sera Hodgson posted a season-high 16 points with four triples while
Caroline Bornemann added her fourth double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Asta Blauenfeldt posted 15 points to round out a trip of double-digit scorers. For Blauenfeldt, it was her seventh double-digit scoring performance in her last nine outings.
In a game which featured eight ties and five lead changes, the Black Bears shot 21-for-49 (42.9) from the floor with five triples while hitting 8-of-8 free throw opportunities. Maine, which was narrowly edged in rebounding by a 25-24 margin, forced 13 UAlbany turnovers.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine enters play even in the league at 2-2 and looking to snap a two-game losing skid with losses at Binghamton and UAlbany. The Black Bears rank fifth in the league in scoring (60.5) and sixth in scoring defense (61.8) while continuing to see impressive production from three-point range. Maine ranks 23rd in the country, tops in America East, at 8.8 triples per game with a league-leading 26.1 attempts from beyond the arc per game. Maine, 150-443 from three-point range this season, checks in second in the conference with a 33.9 percent showing from downtown. Maine has hit eight or more triples in a game 11 times, including four of its last five, and is 6-1 on the season when it recorded nine made triples. The Black Bears have also been impressive in ball protection, checking in second among America East leaders with just 13.8 giveaways per game, the tops assist mark (15.6), and a league-high 1.13 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Caroline Bornemann, who enters play just 17 points away from 1,000 in her career, ranks among the top-10 America East leaders in scoring (8th - 11.4), rebounds (2nd - 7.6), and field goal percentage (5th - 42.6). Bornemann, with double-figure scoring in four of her last five, is fresh off her fifth double-double of the season.
Asta Blauenfeldt is adding 9.7 points per game and ranks seventh in the league in both assists (3.1) and three-point field goals made per game (1.5) with 44.1 percent showing from outside the arc. Blauenfeldt has double-digit scoring totals in three of her last four outings.
Paula Gallego ranks first in the league with a 1.8 assist-to-turnover ratio and second at 3.9 assists. Gallego has registered 37 assists to just 10 turnovers in eight games.
Olivia Rockwood, adding 7.4 points, leads the America East at 42.5 percent from downtown while checking in fourth at 2.0 triples per outing.
A LOOK AT NJIT:
The Highlanders enter the game riding a four-game win streak and stand at 3-0 in the league with wins over Binghamton, UMBC, and UMass Lowell. NJIT, 3-5 on the road, boast the tops scoring offense in the America East at 69.3 points per game. On the flip-side, the Highlanders allow a league-worst 65.7 points per game. NJIT ranks just behind Maine for the league-lead with 8.5 triples per game and also check in second in rebounding at 35.9 points per game. Alejandra Zuniga leads NJIT, and the America East, in scoring at 17.8 points per game with a 47.3 percent mark from the floor while checking in third in the league at 3.8 assists per game. Olivia Kulyk is adding 11.5 points with a 42.1 percent mark from beyond the arc and 32 made triples while Trinity Williams is posting 11.0 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds.
SERIES WITH NJIT:
Maine and NJIT meet for the 12th time in history after the Highlanders joined the America East in the 2020-21 season. Maine owns the all-time series, 7-4, after sweeping the season series a year ago by a combined score of 153-85 (72-46, 81-39). The Black Bears have won five of the last six meetings. Maine is 4-3 all-time at home against the Highlanders. Prior to NJIT joining the league, the two teams met in 2009, a contest won by NJIT in Newark by a score of 63-50. The first-ever meeting came in 2008 where the Black Bears were defeated on their home court, 68-60. Maine defeated NJIT at home a year ago, 81-39, behind a 27 point, 12 rebound effort from
Caroline Bornemann.
-UMaine-
