“On the Road Again: Women’s Basketball Kicks Off Two-Game Adventure at Binghamton!”

ORONO, Maine — Maine aims to commence 3-0 in conference action for the third straight season when it embarks on a two-game road trip on Thursday night at Binghamton, with a tip-off scheduled for 6 p.m.

The Black Bears head into the match-up with an 18-11 all-time record on the road against the Bearcats, having claimed 11 consecutive victories in the series.

Broadcast Information: Thursday’s contest will be streamed live on ESPN+. The game will also be available on 92.9 FM within the Bangor area and virtually on the Black Bears Sports Network.

 

LAST GAME RECAP:

ORONO, Maine — Paula Gallego and Caroline Bornemann collaborated for 43 points as the Black Bears exhibited a shooting percentage of 62.5 in an 87-64 triumph over Bryant at Skip Chappelle Court on Saturday afternoon.

This win propelled Maine to 2-0 within America East competition, while Bryant slipped to 1-1 in league play.

Gallego spearheaded all scorers with a career-high 23 points, hitting a career-best five three-pointers along with five assists and five rebounds. Caroline Bornemann contributed 20 points and nine rebounds, moving into 27th on Maine’s all-time scoring chart and 18th in rebounding.

For the second occasion this season, Maine showcased five players scoring in double digits, with Asta Blauenfeldt (13), Sera Hodgson (11), and Sarah Talon (10) joining Gallego and Bornemann. This performance marked Blauenfeldt’s sixth double-digit scoring display in her last seven games.

As a collective, the Black Bears achieved their best shooting percentage (62.5) of the season while converting 9-of-15 three-point attempts. Maine secured the rebounding advantage, 33-23, for the second consecutive game, successfully limiting Bryant to just 3-of-18 shooting from beyond the arc.

A GLANCE AT THE BLACK BEARS:

Maine arrives with an eight-game conference winning streak after a decisive 87-64 victory over Bryant on Saturday. In this win, Maine reached its highest point total (87) against an America East rival since 2020 (Hartford) and its best field goal shooting percentage (62.5) since 2015 (at North Dakota State). The Black Bears, currently enjoying their longest win streak of the season (3), are led by Caroline Bornemann, who ranks eighth in the America East with an average of 11.6 points per game, achieving double figures in her last three games, including a season-high 20 points in the last outing. Bornemann also ranks among the top five in America East in rebounding (7.5) and field goal percentage (43.2) while recently ascending to 27th on Maine’s all-time scoring list with 963 career points. Asta Blauenfeldt is contributing 9.5 points, showcasing impressive shooting statistics of 52.6 percent overall and a league-best 49.0 percent from three-point territory. Blauenfeldt, placed fifth in the league at 3.1 assists per game, has hit three or more triples in five of her last seven games. Paula Gallego is coming off career highs in scoring (23) and three-pointers (5). Gallego leads America East in assists (3.9) with the best ratio of 1.8 assists to turnover, having recorded 30 assists against only seven turnovers over her past six games, with zero turnovers in three of those. Gallego has achieved five or more assists in six games thus far. Maine ranks fourth in the league for scoring (61.0) and seventh in defense (61.4), leading in the league and ranking 21st nationally with 9.1 three-pointers per game, along with being second in America East with a 34.6 percent accuracy from beyond the arc. Maine’s offensive efficiency is highlighted by the top assist average in the league (15.9) and the best assist-to-turnover ratio (1.13).

A GLANCE AT BINGHAMTON:

Binghamton, with a 5-2 home record this season, has won 3 of its last 4 games, recently securing a 60-50 conference victory over UMBC on Saturday. The Bearcats rank third in the league for scoring (62.3) and defensive scoring (57.7), excelling in rebounding with a league-leading average of 36.0 rebounds per game. Defensively, Binghamton leads the league in steals at 9.0 per game, contributing to an impressive league-best average of 17.3 turnovers forced per game. Leading Binghamton is Yanniah Boyd, averaging 10.4 points per game alongside 4.3 rebounds and a shooting percentage of 44.9 from the floor. Jadyn Weltza is contributing with 10.0 points, leading the team in assists (3.1) and steals (2.1).

HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH BINGHAMTON:

Maine and Binghamton are set to clash for the 51st time, with the Black Bears holding a 35-15 advantage. Maine has triumphed in 24 of the last 27 encounters, seeking their 12th consecutive win over Binghamton after a clean sweep in this year’s season series, which included a semifinal win. Maine edged past Binghamton in their last confrontation in Vestal, emerging victorious 59-56, followed by a 57-51 win on home turf and a 64-58 triumph in the America East semifinal. The first meeting between Maine and Binghamton occurred in 2001, resulting in a nail-biting 63-62 overtime win for the Black Bears. Maine holds an 18-11 record on the road in this series.

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