ORONO, Maine – The University of Maine women's basketball team hits the road for the first time this season when it travels to take on No. 9 NC State on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m on ACCNX.
The Black Bears are looking for their first-ever win over NC State, entering the match-up 0-6 all-time against the Wolfpack. The meeting also marks Maine's first ranked opponent since a March 2024 showdown with Ohio State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Tuesday's road game can be seen on
ACCNX. Additionally, Tuesday night's game can be heard on the Black Bears Sports Network at
GoBlackBears.com.
Game 2 | Maine at #9 NC State
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 | 7:00 P.M. | ACCNX
James T. Valvano Arena at William Neal Reynolds Coliseum | Raleigh, N.C.
LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- After missing the 2024-25 season due to injury,
Adrianna Smith returned in a big way as she tallied her 39th career double-double in a 63-62 loss to Saint Joseph's in Maine's season opener on Friday evening.
Down by 12 with four minutes to play, the Black Bears battled back to within one but failed to get over the hump, dropping the opener by one.
Smith finished the night with a game-high 25 points to go along with 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks as she hit 10-of-25 from the floor.
Asta Blauenfeldt added 16 points while matching a career-high with four triples while
Sarah Talon chipped in 10 points.
Smith's big night moved her into 16th on Maine's all-time scoring list (1,184) and 12th on the school's all-time rebounding list (724).
Six Black Bears made their Maine career debuts, led by
Olivia Alvarez's five points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
Maine, which finished the night 23-of-66 (34.8) with eight triples, hit 8-of-16 free throws and featured just four turnovers on opening night.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine is coming off a 15-16 season, including a 9-7 mark in America East play. The Black Bears' postseason run came to an end in the conference semifinals with a 49-41 loss at UAlbany. The Black Bears lost four of their top five scorers from last season due to graduation or transfer but return America East All-Championship team selection
Asta Blauenfeldt. Blauenfeldt averaged 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists to go along with a team-high 1.6 steals. Blauenfeldt concluded last season riding a five-game double-figure point scoring streak. The Black Bears also feature the return of 2022-23 America East Player of the Year and two-time first team honoree
Adrianna Smith, who missed last year due to injury. In her last healthy season, Smith averaged 16.4 points and 10.8 rebounds while setting an America East record with 22 double-doubles. Smith currently ranks 18th on Maine's all-time scoring list and 12th in all-time rebounding. Maine features seven newcomers including transfers
Lizzy Gruber (Saint Joseph's) and
Kaliyah Sain (Kirkwood Community College), and freshmen
Abby Price,
Bailey Breen,
Olivia Alvarez,
Mackenzie Mori, and
Lala Woods. The Black Bears will also welcome back 2024 Miss Maine Basketball
Maddie Fitzpatrick who missed her freshman season due to injury. Last year, Maine led the America East in assists (14.8 per game) and three-point field goals made (8.2 per game). Head Coach
Amy Vachon enters her ninth season at the helm of the program after becoming Maine's all-time winningest coach last year. Vachon, a five-time conference coach of the year, enters the season with 169 victories.
A LOOK AT NC STATE:
The Wolfpack opened their season with two-ranked opponents, defeating No. 8 Tennessee 80-77 before dropping a 69-68 decision to No. 18 USC. NC State was selected second in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll with Khamil Pierre and Zoe Brooks each earning selections to the Preseason All-ACC team. Pierre, who averaged 20.4 points and 9.6 rebounds a year ago, earned WBCA All-America Honorable Mention status in 2024-25. Brooks added 14.2 points and 4.7 rebounds last season and was both a WBCA All-America Honorable Mention honoree and an ACC First Team selection. The Wolfpack, who captured the ACC Regular Season title a year ago, finished the 2024-25 season at 28-7 and advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16. Through two games this season, Brooks is leading NC State at 18.5 points per game while Pierre is adding 15.5 points and 16.0 rebounds.
SERIES HISTORY WITH NC STATE:
Maine and NC State will meet for the seventh time, and first since 2019. NC State has won all six previous meetings, including a 63-51 decision in the 2019 NCAA Tournament first round meeting. Maine dropped a 62-34 decision in its last trip to Raleigh in November of 2019. Three of the six previous games between the two teams took place on neutral sites, including a 1998 meeting in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament won by NC State, 89-64. Current Black Bear coach
Amy Vachon played in the 1998 NCAA Tournament meeting. The first-ever meeting in 1989 took place in the Lady Friars Classic (Providence) while the 1994 contest was held as part of the Florida Classic. Maine is 10-33 all-time against the ACC.
-UMaine-
