ORONO, Maine -- For the 107th time in history, the University of Maine women's basketball team will meet New Hampshire in the Buffalo Wild Wings Border Battle. The Black Bears and Wildcats will square off on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 1 p.m. inside Lundholm Gymnasium.
Saturday's game can be seen nationally on
ESPN+. Additionally, Saturday's game can be heard at 92.9 FM in the Bangor region and nationwide on the Black Bears Sports Network at
GoBlackBears.com.
Game 19 | Maine (8-10, 3-2 AE) at New Hampshire (6-11, 0-4)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2025 | 1:00 P.M. | ESPN+ | 92.9 FM
Lundholm Gymnasium | Durham, N.H.
LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (8-10, 3-2) jumped out to an 8-0 lead on Vermont (14-5, 3-1) but was unable to hold on, falling to the visiting Catamounts by a final of 64-53 on Thursday evening at Skip Chappelle Court.
Adrianna Smith stretched her double-digit scoring streak to 13 games as she posted 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals.
Sarah Talon extended her double-digit scoring streak to four as she also added 15 points with three triples and six rebounds.
Lala Woods contributed eight points as the Black Bears combined to shoot 21-of-51 (41.2).
Vermont controlled the boards, outrebounding Maine by a 36-23 margin, in a game which featured three lead changes and three ties.
Maine started fast, jumping out to an 8-0 lead as it was able to hold Vermont off the scoreboard for the game's opening 4:11.
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Adrianna Smith, the reigning America East Player of the Week, has produced double-doubles in two of her last three outings and is averaging 25.6 points per game, 8.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in league play. With four assists last time out, Smith became the only player in program history who currently ranks in the top-10 among Maine career leaders in scoring (1,526), rebounding (883), and assists (365). Overall, Smith leads the America East in scoring (20.4), rebounding (9.6), and assists (4.7). Smith, who ranks 13th in the country in scoring and 35th in rebounding, has produced nine double-doubles this season which ranks 10th in the country.
Asta Blauenfeldt, who has recorded double-figures in seven of her last eight outings, ranks 15th in the league in scoring (11.8), eighth in triples per game (1.8), fourth in steals (1.9), and 10th in three-point percentage (34.0).
Sarah Talon is riding a four-game double-digit scoring streak and is averaging 12.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in league play. Maine has won the turnover battle in all five of its conference games and rank second in the league at 13.7 turnovers per game.
A LOOK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE:
The Wildcats, 5-2 at home and 1-9 on the road this season, have dropped each of their first four conference games with the latest loss coming at home to UMBC, 58-47. New Hampshire ranks last in the America East in scoring at 59.3 points per game and fifth in scoring defense, allowing 61.9 points. The Wildcats also rank last in the league in three-point defense, allowing opponents to hit from downtown at a 32.1 percent clip. Eva Dechent leads the Wildcats as she ranks second in the America East in scoring (19.1) with a league-leading 2.0 steals per game. Dechent is also the UNH leader in rebounding at 5.8 boards per game. There's a large drop-off in the scoring column from Dechent with Elizabeth Lavoie next in line at 8.2 points.
SERIES WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Maine and New Hampshire will meet for the 107th time in their storied history. The Black Bears enter play with a 70-36 advantage in the series and have matched up against UNH more times than any of its other opponents. Maine has won 10 in a row against the Wildcats, sweeping last year's meetings 65-54 at UNH and 62-48 in the latest meeting in Orono. Maine is 26-16 on the road against the Wildcats and have won five straight games in Durham. The two teams first met in 1920, a 15-13 victory by the Wildcats.
-UMaine-
