On Monday, March 10, the University of Maine women’s basketball team took on Binghamton University in the semifinals of the America East tournament. It has been a successful season for Maine and they continue to snowball that momentum into a championship opportunity.
The Pit was packed for this playoff showdown and the fans did not disappoint. The UMaine Football team showed out and filled the student section, cheering on the women every step of the way. The environment was electric and it was a storybook ending for the final home game of the year.
Previously this season, the two teams split games 1-1, with the most recent game ending in a Black Bear victory at the end of the regular season. That winning trend continued as fourth-year forward Adrianna Smith scored a game-high 26 points and hauled in 12 rebounds in Maine’s 60-56 victory.
Smith has been a machine for Maine and is the only player in the country to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. These numbers earned Smith her second America East Player of the Year honor, as well as being named to the America East All-Defensive team.
Last year, Smith missed the entire season with a leg injury, but has bounced back in a major way and proven herself to be a player that should be considered for the rafters. This was her final home game as a Black Bear, but her sights are now set on the America East title and NCAA tournament.
Although Smith was the focal point of the Black Bears attack Monday, Maine also has Sarah Talon to thank for a major contribution.
The fourth-year guard knocked down a crucial three-point jumper as time expired in the 3rd quarter. The shot lifted Maine to a 10-point lead going into the final period, and Talon finished with an efficient 17 points, marking her fifth straight game scoring double digits. Talon also added 6 rebounds, 2 steals and game-icing free throws to cap off her big night.
Binghamton’s third-year guard Bella Pucci went down swinging for the Bearcats. Pucci would finish the game with 24 points, which primarily came from her 5 makes from three-point territory.
Binghamton’s leading scorer, third-year forward Kendall Bennett was held to just 8 points; the third-year averaged 15 on the year. In the previous meeting, Bennett had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Maine Head Coach Amy Vachon’s defensive gameplan for Bennett worked seamlessly.
In the late 4th quarter, Binghamton closed the gap to 3 points with 25 seconds remaining. Resiliently, the Black Bears were ready, and converted on 8 of 8 free throws to seal the game down the stretch.
Maine will look to capture the America East title as they travel to Vermont to take on the first seeded Catamounts on Friday night. The championship game will air on ESPNU at 5 p.m., March 13.
