ORONO, Maine -- Paula Gallego and Caroline Bornemann combined for 43 points as the Black Bears shot 62.5 percent in an 87-64 victory over Bryant at Skip Chappelle Court on Saturday afternoon.

The win moved Maine to 2-0 in America East play while Bryant fell to 1-1 in league play.

Gallego led all scorers with a career-high 23 points on a career-best five three-pointers to go along with five assists and five rebounds. Caroline Bornemann posted 20 points and nine rebounds as she moved into 27th on Maine's all-time scoring list and 18th on the all-time rebounding list.

For the second time this season, Maine featured five double-digit scorers as Asta Blauenfeldt (13), Sera Hodgson (11), and Sarah Talon (10) joined Gallego and Bornemann in double-figures. For Blauenfeldt, the scoring performance marked her sixth double-figure scoring effort in her last seven outings.

As a unit, the Black Bears posted their best shooting performance (62.5) of the season while also hitting 9-of-15 from three point range. Maine won the rebounding battle, 33-23, for the second-straight game while limiting Bryant to just 3-of-18 from beyond the arc.

Maine raced out to a 10-2 lead, holding the Bulldogs with just one field goal over the game's opening 4:21.

Bryant responded with a 14-4 run to knot the game at 16-all before Gallego's triple at the buzzer gave Maine a 19-16 edge after one.

Gallego's triple jump started a 12-0 run as a triple from Hodgson and an offensive putback by Bornemann raced Maine's lead out to 10. Blauenfeldt's bucket with 6:18 left in the half gave Maine a 28-16 advantage.

Bryant cut the lead back down to 10 before Maine ended the half on a 8-2 run. Two free throws from Blauenfeldt started the sprint before Gallego's triple pushed the lead out to 15. After a Bulldog bucket, Rockwood's three as the horn sounded sent Maine into the break with its largest lead of the half, 41-25.

Maine finished the second quarter 8-of-13 from the floor, including a perfect 3-of-3 from long distance, while outscoring the Bulldogs 22-9 in the frame.

A quick bucket from Gallego to start the third extended Maine's lead to 18.

Bryant again answered, this time putting together a 13-3 run, to draw within nine midway through the third.

The Bulldogs would get within eight in the quarter before Maine regained an 11-point lead, 59-48, after three.

Maine put the game away with a strong fourth quarter which saw it shoot 70.6 percent (12-of-17) with three triples over the final stanza.

A 9-1 run for the Black Bears, with five points coming from Gallego, grew Maine's advantage to 19.

Still leading by 19 with 3:46 remaining, the Black Bears staged an 11-2 run to take their largest lead of the afternoon at 28. Triples from Gallego and Blauenfeldt fueled the run before a fastbreak layup off a steal by Blauenfeldt swelled the lead to 87-59 with 1:37 to play.

Maine cruised down the stretch, securing an 87-64 victory.

The Black Bears return to action on Thursday, Jan. 9 when they travel to take on Binghamton at 6 p.m.

-UMaine-