ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (8-9, 3-1) produced its highest offensive output of the season to earn an 86-67 victory over visiting NJIT (11-6, 2-2) on Saturday afternoon. 

Adrianna Smith guided the way as she notched her ninth double-double of the season, and the second in as many games, finishing with 30 points and 13 rebounds to go along with eight assists, three blocks, and a pair of steals. Sarah Talon finished 7-of-13 from the floor with season-highs in scoring (19) and assists (6) to go along with seven rebounds. Asta Blauenfeldt hit four triples to finish with 18 points, five rebounds, and three steals. 

The Black Bears ended each half strong, outscoring NJIT 22-10 in the second quarter and 20-8 in the fourth, to help seal the win. 

Maine dominated the boards, 42-31, with 24 assists on 35 made buckets. The Black Bears hit 35-of-74 (47.3) from the floor with six triples while registering 12 steals.

Trailing by one after the first, the Black Bears turned it on in the second. Maine opened the quarter with a 13-5 run, fueled by five points from Lala Woods, to take a 30-23 edge with 5:16 left in the half.

A second chance bucket off her own offensive rebound from Smith and a pair of Blauenfeldt free throws gave Maine its largest lead of the first half, 36-25. 

The lead would stay at 11, 39-28, at the half.

The Highlanders regrouped at the break and opened the second half on a 17-7 run to close the gap to one with 6:04 left in the third.

With Maine up by a pair, the Black Bears strung together a 13-5 run to regain a double-digit lead. A pair of buckets sandwiched a layup off a turnover by Smith as Maine worked its way out to a 66-56 advantage with less than a minute on the clock in the third quarter.

A 10-2 run by Maine to start the fourth helped put the game away. Blauenfeldt's triple, her fourth of the afternoon, extended the lead to 13 before Smith hit another bucket off a turnover to give Maine a 76-61 lead with 5:58 left in regulation.

The Highlanders failed to close the gap further than 13 as Maine ended the game on a 10-4 run to take their third conference victory of the season by a final of 86-67.

The Black Bears return to action on Thursday, Jan. 15 when they host Vermont at 6 p.m.

-UMaine-