ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine women's basketball team (19-12) earned a spot in the 2025 Air Force Reserve America East Championship game after a 60-56 semifinal victory over No. 3 Binghamton on Monday evening.

The Black Bears will travel to meet No. 1 Vermont in the title game on Friday, March 13 at 5 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting UVMAthletics.com/tickets. 

Adrianna Smith led the way with a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds to run her double-double streak to 10-straight. The performance was Smith's 19th double-double of the season and the 57th of her career. Sarah Talon extended her double-figure scoring streak to five with 17 points to go along with six rebounds. 

Maine finished the semifinal 20-of-56 (35.7) from the floor and 16-of-20 at the free throw line. The Black Bears, who entered the game ranked ninth in the nation in turnovers per game, posted their 13th single-digit turnover outing of the season with just eight giveaways while forcing 19 Bearcat turnovers.

Maine raced out to a 4-0 lead in a first quarter which featured seven of the games eight lead changes. The teams would be deadlocked, 15-15, after one.

The Black Bears posted their best shooting performance in the second quarter (7-of-15) and was able to build a six point cushion. With the game tied at 21-21, Maine pieced together a 6-0 run. A steal from Emmie Streams ended with a Talon bucket before Asta Blauenfeldt's fastbreak lay-in off a Lala Woods steal put Maine up four. Olivia Alvarez's driving bucket gave Maine its largest lead of the opening half, 27-21, with 2:21 left in the second quarter.

Maine's lead would stand at five, 29-24, at the half.

The Black Bears opened the half with buckets from Blauenfeldt and Smith to go up nine. After two Binghamton free throws, Alvarez knocked down a triple to give Maine its first double-digit lead of the game, 36-26.

With the lead at eight late in the third, Smith dialed up a three to give Maine its largest lead of the night, 41-30.

An 8-2 Binghamton run to start the fourth trimmed the deficit to four with 7:12 to play in regulation.

A pair of free throws by Talon rebuilt the lead to six before Bella Pucci's three brought Binghamton back to within three.

However, it would be as close as the Bearcats would get as Maine closed the game 10-for-12 from the free throw line to earn the semifinal victory by a final of 60-56.

-UMaine-