ORONO, Maine -- The No. 2 seed University of Maine women's basketball team hosts No. 3 Binghamton on Monday, March 9 at 6 p.m. in the semifinal round of the Air Force Reserve America East playoffs. Limited tickets remain and can be purchased at GoBlackBears.com/tickets.

This marks the 12th consecutive season in which the Black Bears have advaned to the America East semifinal round as they look to advance to their 23rd conference championship game and first since 2024.

POSTSEASON TIDBITS

• Maine is 57-28 all-time in conference postseason play and 39-21 all-time in America East conference playoff games. The Black Bears are 14-5 all-time as the No. 2 seed and 9-2 when matched up with the No. 3 seed. The Black Bears are 23-5 all-time in the semifinal round and are looking for their 11th title and first since 2024. Maine is appearing in the semifinal round for a league-high 12th consecutive season.
  
  Maine defeated Binghamton 64-58 in the 2024 America East semifinals, beat the Bearcats 64-54 in the 2023 quarterfinals, and beat them 57-40 in the 2017 quarterfinals. 

Game 31 | No. 2 Maine (18-12, 12-4 AE) vs. No. 3 Binghamton (19-11, 11-6)
Monday, March 9, 2025 | 6:00 P.M. | ESPN+ | 92.9 FM
Skip Chappelle Court | Orono, Maine

LAST TIME OUT:
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (18-12) advanced to the semifinal round of the Air Force Reserve America East Playoffs with a 77-58 victory over No. 7 New Hampshire (10-20) in a quarterfinal showdown on Thursday evening. 

Adrianna Smith posted her 56th career double-double and ran her double-double streak to nine games after finishing with 35 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and two steals. Her 35 points were the most in an America East playoff game since 2011.

Sarah Talon added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting while Lala Woods finished with 11 after hitting a trio of three-pointers in the first quarter to aid Maine's hot start.

The Black Bears, who turned the ball over just one time in the first half, finished the game with just five turnovers while shooting 25-of-52 (48.1), including 8-of-19 from three-point range, to go along with a 19-of-27 showing from the free throw line. 
 
A LOOK AT THE BLACK BEARS:
Maine continues its quest for an 11th conference championship as it rolls into semifinal action on a four-game win streak and winners of eight of its last nine. The Black Bears concluded the conference season with the top-ranked conference only scoring offense, averaging 65.5 points per game against league competition. As has been consistent all season, Maine was sharp with ball control as it averaged just 10.3 turnovers, a league best, in conference play and finished the league schedule with a +5.19 turnover margin. In total, Maine has posted nine performances of single digit turnovers against America East opponents. Overall on the season, Maine ranks second in the conference and ninth in the nation with just 11.7 turnovers per game, including just five in the quarterfinal game against UNH. The Black Bears are led by the America East Player of the Year, and first team all-conference selection, Adrianna Smith. Smith leads the conference in scoring (22.7), rebounding (10.5), and assists (4.8) and is the only student-athlete in the country currently averaging 20.0+ points, 10.0+ rebounds, and 4.0+ assists. Smith recently tallied her 1,000th career rebound to become the only student-athlete, male or female, in America East history to record 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 400 assists. Her 56 double-doubles rank tops in the America East since at least 1994. Against league competition, Smith is averaging 25.4 points per game and 10.6 rebounds and enters the semifinal riding a nine-game double-double streak. Asta Blauenfeldt, an all-conference third team selection, ranks 16th in the league in scoring (11.3) and has been a consistent three-point threat all season where she ranks third in the league at 37.2 percent from downtown and sixth in triples made per game (1.9). Sarah Talon is riding a four-game double-figure scoring streak, averaging 14.8 points per game over the stretch. All-rookie team selection Lala Woods is adding 8.8 points and also riding a four-game double-figure scoring streak, averaging 12.3 points and 2.5 triples per game over the streak.

A LOOK AT BINGHAMTON:
The Bearcats, 2-5 in their last seven outings, earned a spot in the semifinal round after thrilling last second, 45-44, win over Bryant in the quarterfinals. Binghamton features the America East's third ranked scoring offense (65.2) and seventh ranked scoring defense (61.7). The Bearcats rank second in the America East from the free throw stripe (74.4), getting there at the second highest rate (16.9 attempts per game), and also rank second in the league in steals (8.9) and turnovers forced per game (17.5). Bella Pucci leads Binghamton in scoring, ranking sixth in the conference at 15.0 points per game with a league-best 39.8 percent clip from three-point range. Kendall Bennett is adding 14.0 points and ranks second in the league at 9.9 rebounds. Bennett has posted 15 double-doubles this season. 

SERIES WITH BINGHAMTON:
Maine and Binghamton will meet for the 55th time, and fourth in the postseason, with the Black Bears holding a 37-17 all-time advantage and a 3-0 mark in postseason play. Maine, which has won 26 of the last 31 meetings, dropped a 62-57 decision earlier this season in Binghamton in a game in which Maine found itself down 14 before clawing back to within two. In the regular season finale this year, Maine defeated Binghamton 74-67 behind 21 points and 17 rebounds from Smith. Smith is averaging 16.4 points and 10.9 rebounds in her career against the Bearcats and this season is averaging 25.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in two meetings. Maine and Binghamton first met in 2001, a 63-62 overtime victory by the Black Bears. Maine is 19-9 at home in the head-to-head series.

-UMaine-