Sunday, November 8
North Andover, Mass.
1:00 PM
University of Maine
at
Merrimack
11/7/2026 8:52:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tip-off at Merrimack set for Sunday at 1 p.m.
ORONO, Maine -- The Black Bears look to start the season 2-0 for the first time since 2020 as they go for the America East-Metro Challenge sweep on Sunday afternoon at Merrimack. Tip-off on ESPN+ is set for 1 p.m.
Game 2 | Maine (1-0, 0-0 AE) at Merrimack (0-2, 0-0)
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026 | 1:00 P.M. | ESPN+ | GoBlackBears.com (92.9 FM Audio)
Lawler Arena | North Andover, Mass.
LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- Olivia Alvarez's bucket with 2.7 seconds remaining helped lift the University of Maine women's basketball team to a 70-68 victory over Siena in its season opener Thursday evening at Skip Chappelle Court in the America East-Metro Challenge.
Lizzy Gruber led the Black Bears with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Maddie Fitzpatrick added 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Lala Woods chipped in 13 points, and Alvarez finished with eight, all in the fourth quarter.
For Gruber and Fitzpatrick, the scoring and rebounding totals for each set new career-highs while each registered their first career double-doubles.
Maine shot 45.3 percent from the floor and held a 43-33 advantage on the boards. The Black Bears connected on eight three-pointers, including two each from Woods, Alvarez and Abby Price.
Â
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Amy Vachon enters her 10th season at the helm of the Black Bears who are coming off a return to the America East Championship game a year ago after posting a 19-13 overall mark and a 12-4 conference campaign. Maine lost its top three scorers to graduation, including the 2026 America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith (22.8 pts/10.7 rebounds). Lala Woods (8.4 points) and Kaliyah Sain (8.4 pts) are featured as Maine's top returning scorers with Sain only seeing action in eight games a year ago before suffering a season-ending injury. Woods ranked 10th in the America East in both three-point percentage (30.4) and triples made per game (1.6). Lizzy Gruber, who appeared in all 32 games a year ago, returns after averaging 4.3 points and ranking fifth in the conference at 1.0 blocks per game. Olivia Alvarez will run the point for Maine after making 23 starts in 32 games played last year. The Black Bears ended the 2025-26 season ranked sixth in the nation with just 11.4 turnovers per game and entered the season riding a three-game streak of single digit turnover totals, with single digit giveaways in six of their last eight, before giving it away 23 times in the season opener.
Maine will look to replace the 70.4% of its scoring that was lost from last year's roster, including America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith who graduated after averaging 22.8 points per game to go along with 10.7 rebounds. In addition to Smith, the Black Bears lost their second (Asta Blauenfeldt - 11.0 ppg) and third (Sarah Talon - 8.9 ppg) leading scorers to graduation.
A LOOK AT MERRIMACK:
The Warriors enter play winless at 0-2 with early season setbacks at Florida State (81-51) and at NJIT (57-35). Joi Williams led Merrimack in the loss with seven points while Naomi Wilson and Claudia Crespo each contributed six. Merrimack is averaging 32.0 turnovers per game through two. Crespo leads the scoring efforts at 9.0 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds while Wilson is adding 8.0 points and a team-high 11.0 rebounds. Merrimack is shooting 34.1 percent from the floor, 20.6 from three-point range.Â
SERIES WITH MERRIMACK:
Maine and Merrimack will be meeting for the first time in history.
-UMaine-
Game 2 | Maine (1-0, 0-0 AE) at Merrimack (0-2, 0-0)
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026 | 1:00 P.M. | ESPN+ | GoBlackBears.com (92.9 FM Audio)
Lawler Arena | North Andover, Mass.
LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- Olivia Alvarez's bucket with 2.7 seconds remaining helped lift the University of Maine women's basketball team to a 70-68 victory over Siena in its season opener Thursday evening at Skip Chappelle Court in the America East-Metro Challenge.
Lizzy Gruber led the Black Bears with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Maddie Fitzpatrick added 14 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Lala Woods chipped in 13 points, and Alvarez finished with eight, all in the fourth quarter.
For Gruber and Fitzpatrick, the scoring and rebounding totals for each set new career-highs while each registered their first career double-doubles.
Maine shot 45.3 percent from the floor and held a 43-33 advantage on the boards. The Black Bears connected on eight three-pointers, including two each from Woods, Alvarez and Abby Price.
Â
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Amy Vachon enters her 10th season at the helm of the Black Bears who are coming off a return to the America East Championship game a year ago after posting a 19-13 overall mark and a 12-4 conference campaign. Maine lost its top three scorers to graduation, including the 2026 America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith (22.8 pts/10.7 rebounds). Lala Woods (8.4 points) and Kaliyah Sain (8.4 pts) are featured as Maine's top returning scorers with Sain only seeing action in eight games a year ago before suffering a season-ending injury. Woods ranked 10th in the America East in both three-point percentage (30.4) and triples made per game (1.6). Lizzy Gruber, who appeared in all 32 games a year ago, returns after averaging 4.3 points and ranking fifth in the conference at 1.0 blocks per game. Olivia Alvarez will run the point for Maine after making 23 starts in 32 games played last year. The Black Bears ended the 2025-26 season ranked sixth in the nation with just 11.4 turnovers per game and entered the season riding a three-game streak of single digit turnover totals, with single digit giveaways in six of their last eight, before giving it away 23 times in the season opener.
Maine will look to replace the 70.4% of its scoring that was lost from last year's roster, including America East Player of the Year Adrianna Smith who graduated after averaging 22.8 points per game to go along with 10.7 rebounds. In addition to Smith, the Black Bears lost their second (Asta Blauenfeldt - 11.0 ppg) and third (Sarah Talon - 8.9 ppg) leading scorers to graduation.
A LOOK AT MERRIMACK:
The Warriors enter play winless at 0-2 with early season setbacks at Florida State (81-51) and at NJIT (57-35). Joi Williams led Merrimack in the loss with seven points while Naomi Wilson and Claudia Crespo each contributed six. Merrimack is averaging 32.0 turnovers per game through two. Crespo leads the scoring efforts at 9.0 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds while Wilson is adding 8.0 points and a team-high 11.0 rebounds. Merrimack is shooting 34.1 percent from the floor, 20.6 from three-point range.Â
SERIES WITH MERRIMACK:
Maine and Merrimack will be meeting for the first time in history.
-UMaine-
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Center
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Forward
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Guard
/ Women's BasketballSunday, November 08
Friday, November 06
Thursday, November 05
Thursday, October 29
