ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team hosts UAlbany on Thursday at 6 p.m. in the second of a three game homestand. Limited tickets still remain for the game and can be purchased at GoBlackBears.com/Tickets.

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS:

• Stein Game: The first 100 UMaine students through the gates will receive a pass and can turn it in following the conclusion of the game to claim their free women's basketball commemorative stein.
• In the annual faculty/staff appreciation game, the Black Bears will recognize several members of the UMaine staff and honor them for all they do to support the Black Bears.
   

Game 28 | Maine (15-12, 10-4 AE) vs. UAlbany (14-13, 4-10 AE)
Thursday, Feb. 26, 2025 | 6:00 P.M. | ESPN+ | GoBlackBears.com
Skip Chappelle Court | Orono, Maine

LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team outscored New Hampshire 23-9 in the fourth quarter to help guide it to a 67-61 victory in the Buffalo Wild Wings Border Battle on Saturday afternoon.

With the win, the Black Bears locked up a top-4 seed in the upcoming America East tournament for a 13th-straight season and will host a quarterfinal match-up on March 5. Tickets for the quarterfinal game will go on sale on Monday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. at GoBlackBears.com/Tickets.

Adrianna Smith scored 23 of her game-high 35 points, including 17 in the first quarter, while adding 14 rebounds, five assists, and three steals for her 15th double-double and fifth in as many games. Sarah Talon added 13 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Asta Blauenfeldt chipped in 10 points including a clutch three with 27-seconds remaining.

Maine won the turnover battle for the 13th time in 14 conference games with just seven giveaways as the Black Bears shot 22-of-60 (36.7) from the floor with eight triples while going 15-of-18 from the free throw stripe. The Black Bears won the rebounding battle, 38-31, and held New Hampshire to just 3-of-11 in the fourth quarter.

A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
The Black Bears 7-3 at home and winners of their last three on the home court, close out the regular season with a pair of games in Orono. Adrianna Smith, the two-week reigning America East Player of the Week, continues to lead the conference in scoring (22.4), rebounding (10.1), and assists (4.4). She is the only women's player in Division I averaging 20.0+ ppg, 10.0+ rpg, and 4.0+ apg. She ranks ninth in the country in scoring average and has posted Her 15 double-doubles rank 13th in the nation and she stands just one double-double shy of passing Sheri Turnbull's (Vermont) total of 54 in a career. Should Smith reach that mark, she would notch the most career double-doubles in America East history since 1994. Smith, averaging 28.3 points per game in her last four outings, has tallied 20 or more points in eight of her last nine and enters play riding a 22 game double-figure scoring streak and a five game double-double streak. Smith is aided by Asta Blauenfeldt who ranks 15th in the league in scoring (11.8) and fourth with a 37.8 percent clip from three-point range. The Black Bears rank sixth in the conference in scoring (61.4) and fifth in scoring defense (59.9). Maine, which has won the turnover battle in 13 of its 14 conference games, has posted single digit turnover totals in five of its last six and rank second in the conference and 11th nationally with just 12.1 giveaways per game.

A LOOK AT UALBANY:
The Great Danes, 5-8 on the road this season including a 1-5 road record in league play, are coming off a 69-63 double-overtime victory against UMBC on Saturday. UAlbany features the 10th ranked scoring defense in the country (55.4), third best in the conference, while ranking seventh in the America East in scoring (58.8). UAlbany leads the conference in three-point shooting at 34.9 percent and rank last in rebounding (31.5). Delanie Hill leads the Great Danes in scoring at 14.1 points per game with a 39.0 percent clip from three-point range. Amaya Stewart is adding 12.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while Marina Borrellas is averaging 9.9 points and a team-high 6.6 rebounds.

SERIES WITH UALBANY:
Maine and UAlbany will square off for the 60th time in history. The Black Bears snapped a three-game losing skid against the Great Danes with a 65-60 road win earlier this season. It was a back and forth affair with 11 lead changes and six ties as Maine outscored UAlbany 17-12 in the fourth quarter behind a 25 point, nine rebounds, seven assist effort from Adrianna Smith. The Black Bears have won 14 of the last 21 meetings. Maine holds a 33-26 edge in the all-time series. Maine is 14-9 all-time at home in the series.

-UMaine-